SFZ3 Rose Player's Guide
Revison 1
(c) Mondu Quiambao, January, 2000
Contents
In the Beginning
Preface, Rose Overview
General Game Info
Control Layout
The SFZ3 System
-ISMs and Modes
Rose Basic Play
The Various Moves (Regular, Special, etc.)
General Strategies
Rose Vs. Tactics
The Various Characters (Adon, Akuma, etc.)
Other Rose Stuff
Storyline, Colors, Win Poses, etc.
Miscellany
===================
In the Beginning...
===================
*** Preface ***
This is part of a series I'm making for SFZ3. It contains pretty much
everything I can come up for Rose, from basic stuff to more advanced
tactics. Those of you with working knowledge of SFZ3 should skip right to
the middle of this document, where tactics are discussed. To those of you
who are just browsing through and deciding on which character to use in
SFZ3, try other documents, such as those of Kao Megura, who has much better
coverage of all the characters of SFZ3 in general. To those of you who are
interested in what Rose-specific quirks SFZ3 may have or are beginners
that think Rose is totally bitchin', start at the beginning. Copyright
notices, glossary, and personal info on me are at the end of this document.
*** Rose Overview ***
First off, Rose is not the most powerful character in SFZ3. I'd place her
somewhere in the middle. She's fairly fast, and the range and priority of
her moves are pretty good. Unfortunately for Rose, she isn't "hard-
hitting". The damage she inflicts (other than her Super Combos) isn't that
great. Also, while she has a fireball, it's rather harder to use than
Ryu/Ken/Akuma's. Finally, despite her several moves that are anti-air,
there are a lot of aerial attacks she simply can't deal with consistently.
Think of Rose as the "jack-of-all-trades" in SFZ3... she can (almost) do
everything any other character can do, but doesn't exel in any them.
To date, Rose has yet to make her presence known in the tournament scene
(where even low-ranked characters like Sodom have made an appearance). With
this document I hope to convince players that Rose is indeed worth learning
to play.
=================
General Game Info
=================
*** The Control Layout ***
Controller (joystick) layout for the arcades:
This joysticl position diagram assumes Rose is facing right.
Up-back Up Up-forward
O O O
Back O neutral O Forward
O O O
Down-back Down Down-forward
From the neutral, pushing the joystick back or forward causes Rose to
walk in that direction. Pushing the joystick in any down position
makes her crouch, while pushing it up causes her to jump up-back,
straight up, or up-forward.
Button layout (buttons are located to the right of the joystick)
JP SP FP <- Jab Punch, Strong Punch, Fierce Punch
SK FK RK <- Short Kick, Forward Kick, Roundhouse Kick
The start button can be located anywhere, depending upon the cabinet.
Since the button layout in the PSX can be customized, I won't bother
putting it here.
*** The SFZ3 System ***
Timer
- The number in the top-middle of the screen. Once the timer ends, the
round ends. Whoopee. But, seriously, keeping an eye on the timer is
extremely important, especially if its running faster than usual and
if your opponent is a "turtler"
Life Bar
- Those two big bars in the upper screen, to the sides of the Timer.
Obviously, you lose if it becomes depleted, or if Rose life bar is
lesser than your opponent's when time runs out (duh). The bar starts
out a solid green (with a red background). As you get hit it shades
down to yellow.
Block
- Hold the joystick back prior to being hit by an attack aimed at the
head, chest, or waist. Hold the joystick down-back to defend against
attacks that hit low.
- When Rose blocks, Regular Moves, Command Moves and Taunts do no
damage. Special Moves and Super Combos do reduced damage, but some
Special Moves and Super Combos cannot be blocked. Throws cannot be
blocked.
- Blocks can be done in the air or on the ground under Z/V-ism. In
X-ism, air-blocking is not available. Note that not all moves may be
air-blocked. All air-to-air moves can be air-blocked. If a
character's feet near the ground, any attack he performs cannot be
air-blocked. For example, the Dragon Punch can be air-blocked
shortly after Ryu/Ken's feet leave the ground, but not when the
Dragon Punch is just beginning. All projectile Special Moves
(fireballs, Sonic Boom, etc.) can be air-blocked. Almost all Super
Combos cannot be air-blocked.
- Blocking takes a chunk out of the Guard Meter. Generally, the
stronger the attack blocked, the bigger the chunk.
Guard Meter; also known as "Guard Power", or GP in the PSX
- The bar right underneath the Life bar. If Rose blocks any move, the
Guard Meter is reduced. The Guard Meter replenishes itself over time.
- If the Guard Meter is completely depleted, then Rose becomes "Guard
Crashed". Rose screams and holds a pose. During this short period
she becomes unable to move. After this period, the Guard Meter
replenishes itself in full, but the total capacity is permanently
decreased. The total capacity Guard Meter can never be fully
depleted. At least one bar will always be left, no matter how many
times a character is Guard Crashed.
- Classic -ism has no Guard Meter, and therefore cannot be Guard
Crashed.
Guard Meter Protection
- Do the block just _immediately before_ being hit. If you're
successful, Rose will flash blue. The chunk that would have been
taken from Rose' Guard Meter is reduced.
Damage Reduction
- When hit by an opponent, by any move or a hold, move the joystick in
any direction and press a button. If you're successful, Rose will
flash red. The damage Rose would have taken is reduced.
- This is extremely hard to do. The best time to use damage reduction
is when being hit by a multi-hit move, such as during most Super
Combos. Waggle the stick and mash the buttons while being hit.
- This move is not available in X-ism.
Air Recovery
- Press any two punch buttons after being hit in the air before Rose
touches the ground. She'll flip upright. Holding the joystick back
causes her to flip further back. Holding it forward causes her to
flip nearer the opponent.
- Not all attacks can be air-recovered from. Generally, moves that
launch Rose high in the air can be air-recovered from, but not
always.
- Once Rose flips, she can air-block (in Z/V-ism) or attack with any
usual aerial attack, but with the priority increased tremendously.
- Air recovery is not available in Classic-ism.
Ground Recovery Roll, Forward
- Press any two kick buttons when Rose has been knocked down or did an
air-block. Once she hits the ground, she'll roll a bit forward then
get up on her feet. Holding the stick forward as she rolls makes her
roll farther than usual.
- Like the air recovery, not all moves can be ground-rolled from.
- Rose can still be hit while rolling.
- This move is not available in X-ism.
Ground Recovery Roll, Backward
- Press any two punch buttons the moment Rose lands flat on her back.
She'll roll a bit backward then get up on her feet.
- There are very few instance that can be rolled backward from (I
haven't found the exact ones)
- Rose can still be hit while rolling.
- This move is not available in X-ism.
Dizzy and Dizzy recovery
- To dizzy an opponent, repeatedly hit him with attacks. Generally,
the more damage inflicted, the greater the chance to do a dizzy. A
dizzied character is seen with stars around his head and is unable
to respond to controls for a couple of seconds.
- If you find Rose dizzied, waggle the joystick and mash buttons
to wake her up.
Regular Moves/Attacks
- Press any of the six buttons to do a Regular Move. Generally, the
top row is for punches, while the bottom row is for kicks. The left
most column represents fast but weak attacks, and the right most
column represents powerful but slow attacks. Regular Moves do no
damage when blocked.
Command Moves/Attacks
- Command Moves are moves that require a certain controller position in
addition to a button press. Like Regular Moves, Command Moves do no
damage when blocked.
Special Moves/Attacks
- Special Moves are moves that often require specific joystick motions
in addition to button press. These moves inflict damage even when
blocked, and some cannot be blocked at all.
Super Combo Meter
- The bar in the bottom of the screen. This bar is filled up by
attacking, by being hit, and by hitting an opponent.
- In X-ism, this is a red bar. The Super Combo Meter is used for
executing Super Combos (duh!), which completely depletes it.
- In Z-ism, the bar is green and divided into 3 "levels". The Super
Combo Meter, aside from being used for Super Combos, is also used
for Zero Counters. Super Combos will consume 1 - 3 levels of the
meter, while Zero Counters consume 1. The amount of Super Combo
Meter consumed can usually be controlled by pressing the appropriate
button.
- In V-ism, the bar is blue and is recorded as a percentage. It's used
for "Variable Combos" and is slowly depleted once the V.C. is
started. Zero Counters consume 50% of the bar.
- Classic-ism has no Super Combo Meter
Super Combos
- Super Combos are extremely powerful moves that require complex
joystick motions and keypress in addition to at least 1 charge of
the Super Combo Meter. Super Combos inflict damage even when
blocked, and some cannot be blocked at all.
- Super Combos are available on X/Z-ism only
Variable Combo; called "Oricom" in the PSX
- Press the same strength punch and kick buttons (ie. fierce punch +
roundhouse kick). If you're successful, Rose will flash and be
trailed by purple shadows. The final "shadow" will perform any move
that Rose does, effectively doubling most moves. Using fierce
punch + roundhouse kick to start the Variable Combo causes the
shadow to follow approximately 1.5 seconds after Rose. Using the
strong punch + forward kick causes the shadow to follow around
3/4ths of a second after Rose, while the jab punch + short kick
causes the shadow to follow immediately after Rose.
- During the Variable combo, Rose's attacks are speeded up
considerably. Her Regular Moves become "cancellable" and "links",
and the recovery time from her Special Moves is shortened.
- During the brief period that Rose flashes as she starts the
Variable Combo she is completely invulnerable to all attacks.
- The Variable Combo require that the Super Combo Meter be at least
50% full.
- Characters cannot block while Variable Combo is activated.
- The Variable Combo ends when the Super Combo Meter becomes depleted
or if the character is hit by any attack. If Rose is hit by any
attack during the Variable Combo or if the round ends then her Super
Combo Meter is decreased by 50%.
- Variable Combo is available in V-ism only (duh !)
Damage Increase
- The damage of certain moves can be increased by waggling the stick
and mashing buttons as you attack. The effect of this can be most
seen with holds (such as Rose's Soul Drain). If you're succesful,
Rose will flash white as you mash the buttons.
Zero Counter
- Upon blocking an attack on the ground, push the joystick forward
and press the same strength punch and kick buttons (ie. fierce punch
+ roundhouse kick).
- This move is not available in X-ism/Classic.
Combo
- Not to be confused with "Super Combos". A combo is a series of
attacks where if one of the attacks hit the rest will probably hit
too. If you're successful, the number of hits in the combo will
appear right beneath Rose's picture.
Links
- Links are a type of combo. A link is performed when two or more
Regular Moves hit in succession. Links require special timing, and
few Regular Moves will actually link together.
Cancellable attacks/Two-in-ones
- Two-in-ones are a type of combo. All moves have recovery
time. For example, when Rose does a crouching kick, you have to
wait until she finishes before you can make another move. Certain
moves, however, can be "cancelled". The recovery times of these
moves may be cut short. To do this, do a Regular Move. Immediately
after the Regular Move connects, do a Special Move or a Super Combo.
Instead of recovering from the Regular Move, Rose will do the
Special Move/Super Combo. Note that not all Regular Moves can be
cancelled in this manner.
Counter Hit
- If you hit your opponent while he's attacking, he will take more
damage than usual. If you're successful, the game pauses and there
is a "smashing" sound. The message "Counter" appears.
- There are two types of Counter Hit -- major and minor. The major one
is the one described above. A minor counter hit presents with a less
game pause and less smashing sound.
Counter-Counter Hit
- If an opponent hits Rose while she's attacking, usually the attack
will end. You can force Rose to continue with the move by moving
the joystick in any direction and pressing a button (as if you're
trying a Damage Reduction). If you're successfull, Rose will
flash red and your attack will still continue. Some particularly
powerful moves will do this automatically.
Reversals, BlockStuns, HitStuns
- Normally, if Rose blocks an attack she will be unable to move for a
brief moment. Some authors call this brief moment "BlockStun". This
is also true with being hit -- if she's hit by an attack she will
be unable to move for a brief moment. This is called "HitStun". The
blockstun and the hitstun are the very reason combos exist -- if
Rose blocks or gets hit by an attack, she can't move so the next
attack can't be avoided. In real life, blockstun and hitstun are
equivalents to flinching after being hit.
- If you opponent is hit as a counter hit (see "Counter Hit, above),
the hitstun of your move is increased dramatically.
- However, during the blockstun and the hitstun, there exists a very,
very, very tiny window of opportunity. With a lot of skill and luck,
you may be able to use this extremely brief period to launch an
attack of your own, hopefully hitting your opponent before his next
attack hits Rose. If you're successful, the message "Reversal"
appears.
Reversal Only Moves
- Some characters have moves that can only be performed during a
Blockstun, a Hitstun, or while getting up after being knocked to the
floor. These are "Reversal Only Moves". As Rose has no Reversal Only
Moves, I won't being going into detail on this.
Combo Escape
- Some multi-hit moves (such as Ken's Shoryureppa and Rose' level 3
Aura Soul Throw) can be escaped from (meaning that the rest of the
move will no longer hit). To do this, waggle the joystick and mash
the buttons as she is being hit (as if you're trying to do damage
reduction).
- Combo escape is not available in Classic-ism.
Wake-up Move
- If Rose is knocked flat on her back (and did not do a ground
recovery roll) she is granted a very brief period of invulnerability
as she's getting to her feet. During this period of invulnerabiliy,
she can try to do a Special Move or a Super Combo. If done
successfully, the message "Reversal" appears.
Throw/Hold
- While very near the opponent, hold the joystick forward or back,
then press any two punch buttons or any two kick buttons.
- If Rose is too far away to throw, trying to do so will leave her
vulnerable for a small period of time (Rose makes a weird gesture
and grunts).
Tech. Hit; also known as "throw escape"
- Do a throw as soon as the opponent does a throw. If you're
successful, the message "Tech. Hit" appears. The damage Rose would
have taken is reduced, depending upon how fast you do the Tech. Hit.
- Not available in Classic-ism.
Taunts
- Press the start button (select button on the PSX) and Rose will
do a taunt.
- During a taunt, Rose will not respond to any other command,
leaving her wide open to attack.
- Some Taunts deal damage.
- The recovery period of certain moves can be cut short by the taunt,
the effect of which is similar to a two-in-one.
- You can taunt once per round in Z/V-ism, or an as many times as you
want during a VC.
*** ISMS ***
Presented below are the general characteristics for the various -isms.
X-ism/"Simple"
- Guard Meter around around 5 1/2 blocks long
- Most of Rose's attacks cause up to 10% more damage than in Z-ism
- Rose takes up to 10% more damage from attacks than in Z-ism
- no air block, no ground recovery roll, no Zero Counter
- no taunt
- one Super Combo (identical to Z-ism's level 3 Aura Soul Throw)
Z-ism/"Standard"
- Guard Meter around 4 1/2 blocks long
- Zero Counter requires 1 level of the Super Combo Meter
- taunt, once per round
- three Super Combos available (Aura Soul Spark, Aura Soul Throw,
Soul illusion) that consumes 1 to 3 levels of the Super Combo Meter
V-ism/"Variation"/"Original"
- Guard Meter around 4 1/2 blocks long
- Rose's attacks cause up to 10% less damage than in Z-ism
- Zero Counter requires 50% of the Super Combo Meter
- taunt, once per round; while in VC, Rose may taunt repeatedly
- no Super Combo
- Variable Combo available
Classic/"No-ism"
- 0/infinite Guard Meter (therefore cannot be guard crashed)
- damage inflicted and taken same as X-ism
- no air block, no ground recovery roll, no air recovery, no taunt,
no tech. hit, no damage reduction
- Rose is difficult to juggle; being hit in the air usually causes her
to fall to the ground
- no Super Combo Meter (and therefore no Super Combos, no Variable
Combos, no Zero counter)
- In the arcades, the Classic -ism cannot be accessed from the screen.
Instead, do the following:
a) insert your coin/token
b) press and hold fierce punch and roundhouse kick buttons at the
same time
c) press the start button
d) move the joystick to the character of your choice (Rose in
this case)
e) press any button other than start
f) you can now release the fierce punch and roundhouse kick
buttons
In the PSX, Classic -ism can be accessed from the screen (provided
you've unlocked it, of course -- this document will not discuss how
to unlock PSX features).
*** Modes ***
In addition to the X/V/Z-ism, two additional modes can be added to your
character.
Low-guard mode/"Saikyou"
- the Guard Meter is extremely short (two blocks)
- you get dizzied 2x - 4x times faster than normal
- there are no "cancellable" attacks, making combos extremely
difficult to do
- In the arcades, Low-guard mode cannot be accessed from the screen.
Instead, do the same thing as you would do to access Classic -ism
(see above), except you must press and hold the jab punch and short
kick buttons instead of the fierce punch and roundhouse kick
Serious mode/"Mazi"
- increased inflicted and taken damage, around 2x more than usual
- if you lose even 1 round, you've lost the entire match
- In the arcades, Serious mode cannot be accessed from the screen.
Instead, do the same thing as you would do to access Classic -ism
(see above), except you must press and hold the strong punch and
forward kick buttons instead of the fierce punch and roundhouse
kick. Also, while it's possible to win using this mode against a
human player, computer-controlled opponents inflicts _much_ more
damage than usual (up to 4x more).
===============
Rose Basic Play
===============
*** Regular Moves ***
In the list below are moves that are marked with "<near>". To do these
moves in V-ism the joystick must be pushed backward while the appropriate
button is pressed. To do these moves in X/Z-ism the opponent must be near
Rose. Other moves are marked "<far>". To do these moves in V-ism the
joystick must be in "neutral" position or pushed forward. To do these moves
in X/Z-ism the opponent must be far from Rose.
Jab Punch
- abbreviated as JP; also known as "Light Punch" or LP in the PSX
- Standing JP
- Rose does a quick punch.
- Jumping JP
- Rose does a quick horizontal slash in the air.
- Crouching JP
- A quick punch.
Strong Punch
- abbreviated as SP; also known as "Medium Punch" or MP in the PSX
- Standing SP
<far> - Looks exactly like her standing JP, but her palm emits
lightning.
<near> - A slap across the chest.
- V-ism notes: both the <far> and <near> standing SP have nearly
the same range, despite their name; also the <far> standing SP
is a little faster than the <near> standing SP, despite their
animation (!)
- Crouching SP
- Looks exactly like her crouching JP, but her palm emits
lightning.
Fierce Punch
- abbreviated as FP; also known as "Hard Punch" or HP in the PSX
- Standing FP
<far> - Rose whips out her shawl.
<near> - Rose whips out her shawl, but at a shorter distance than her
<far> standing FP.
- V-ism notes: despite their names (and their graphics), the
ranges <far> and <near> standing FP are not that different.
- Jumping FP
- Rose whips out her shawl in a downward arc.
- Crouching FP
- Rose punches upward, her shawl trailing her fist.
Short Kick
- abbreviated as SK; also known as "Light Kick" or LK.
- Standing SK
- Rose kicks to shin level..
- Jumping SK
- A weak downward kick.
- Crouching SK
- A low, short ranged ground kick.
Forward Kick
- abbreviated as FK; also known as "Medium Kick" or MK in the PSX
- Standing FK
<far> - Rose plants her shawl on the ground then extends her foot.
<near> - Rose hops with a kick.
- V-ism notes: despite their name, both <far> and <near> FK have
nearly the same range; the <far> version is slightly faster
than the <near>
- Jumping FK
- Rose does a kick that makes it look like she's trying to lie
down in the air.
- Crouching FK
- Rose kicks out far and low.
Roundhouse Kick
- abbreviated as RK; also known as "Hard Kick" or HK in the PSX
- Standing RK
<far> - Rose plants her shawl on the ground then extends her foot
_far_.
<near> - Rose flips forward in a cartwheel. Quite fast.
- V-ism notes: the <near> standing RK is worthless in X/Z-ism,
but is quite a poking weapon in V.
- Jumping RK
- A long-ranged aerial kick.
- Crouching RK
- Rose swings her feet out for a long-ranged sweep.
*** Command Moves ***
Slide
- hold joystick down-forward, press FK
- Rose slides forward.
Soul-piette
- hold joystick forward, press RK
- Rose does <near> standing RK, then takes a step forward.
*** Throws ***
Soul Drain
- while Rose and the opponent are on the ground near each other, hold
back or forward, press any two punch buttons
- Rose does a handstand on her opponent's head, holding on. To
increase the damage, waggle the joystick and press buttons
repeatedly.
Soul Fade
- while Rose and the opponent are in the air near each other, hold
back or forward, press any two punch buttons
- Rose does a aerial version of her Soul Drain
*** Special Moves ***
Soul Spark
- move the joystick back, down-back, down, down-forward, forward, then
press any punch
- Rose whips out her shawl, and a fireball comes out of it.
Soul Spiral
- move the joystick down, down-forward, forward, then press any kick
- Rose wraps her shawl around her fist, then lunges forward with it
Soul Throw (also known as "Soul Thru" in the PSX)
- move the joystick forward, down, down-forward, then press any punch
- Rose jumps up and forward, and if your opponent is in Rose' path,
she'll grab and throw him down
Soul Reflect
- move the joystick down, down-back, back, then press any punch
- Rose whips her shawl around her with the JP version. If the shawl
hits an opponent's fireball, the fireball will disappear and a small
amount of energy will be added to Rose' Super Combo Meter. Also, the
next Soul Spark Rose will throw will have its damage increased.
- Rose arcs her shawl out and downward with the SP version. If the
shawl hits an opponent's fireball, the fireball will be reflected
back at him.
- Rose whips her shawl down then up in front of her with the FP
version. If the shawl hits an opponent's fireball, the fireball will
be reflected back upward at about 30 degrees.
*** Super Combos ***
Aura Soul Spark
- move the joystick down, down-back, back, down, down-back, press any
punch
- Use JP to do a level 1 Aura Soul Spark. Rose whips out her shawl and
a fireball comes out of it.
- Use SP to do a level 2 Aura Soul Spark. Rose does a cartwheel, then
whips out her shawl and a fireball comes out of it.
- Use FP to do a level 3 Aura Soul Spark. Rose whips her shawl in an
arc, then throws a fireball. If her shawl hits an opponent's
fireball, the fireball will be reflected back at him.
- Z-ism only
Aura Soul Throw
- move the joystick down, down-forward, forward, down, down-forward,
press any punch
- Use JP to do a level 1 Aura Soul Throw. Rose jumps up and forward,
and if your opponent is in Rose' path, she'll grab and throw him
down. This requires at least 1 block of Super Combo meter.
- Use SP to do a level 2 Aura Soul Throw. Rose punches upward, then
jumps up and forward, and if your opponent is in Rose' path (or was
hit by the upward punch), she'll grab and throw him down. This
requires at least 2 blocks of Super Combo meter.
- Use FP to do a level 3 Aura Soul Throw. Rose dashes forward with a
punch, punches upward, then jumps up and forward, and if your
opponent is in Rose' path (or was hit by the previous two punche),
she'll grab and throw him down. This requires at least 3 blocks of
Super Combo meter (in Z-ism) or the entire Super Combo Meter (in
X-ism).
- Z-ism and X-ism only. In X-ism, only the level 3 Aura Soul Throw can
be done and not the level 1 and 2.
Soul Illusion
- move the joystick down, down-forward, forward, down, down-forward,
press any kick
- Rose will be trailed by several shadows. During the Soul Illusion,
all of Rose' Regular Moves and her SK Soul Spiral hit three times,
while the rest of her moves (with some exceptions) hit a little over
twice the normal number.
- Use SK to do a level 1 Soul Illusion, FK to do a level 2, RK to do a
level 3. This requires 1, 2, and 3 blocks of Super Combo meter,
respectively. The higher the level, the longer the duration of the
Soul Illusion.
*** Taunt ***
Wagging finger
- press the start button (or select in the PSX)
- Rose closes her eyes, shakes her head, and wags her finger. She will
then say something randomly (from one of her sayings in the win
poses section).
- Z/V-ism only, once per round, but during a Variable Combo, Rose can
taunt as much as you want
*** Zero Counters ***
Soul Collect
- block an attack on the ground, push the joystick forward and press
the same strength punch and kick buttons (eg. FP + RK)
- Rose hops forward. If the opponent is within range, Rose will grab
and hop behind him, stunning him temporarily.
- Z-ism only; requires 1 block of Guard Meter and 1 block of Super
Combo Meter
Sweep
- block an attack on the ground, push the joystick forward and press
the same strength punch and kick buttons (eg. FP + RK)
- Rose does a sweep (her crouching RK). If the opponent is within
range (and not blocking) he will fall backward, spinning.
- V-ism only; requires 1 block of Guard Meter and 50% of Super Combo
Meter
*** General Strategies ***
Lesson #1 -- Which -ism should be used ?
For most characters, this is V-ism. This isn't simply so with Rose.
Let us dissect the general merits of V over Z/X, any why they don't
apply to Rose.
Lesson #1.1 -- V-ism Controllable limbs
In Z/X, the computer decides when to use the <near> and <far>
versions of a move. Often, these moves are quite different. For
example, Ryu's <far> RK is a roundhouse kick to the head. It's a
completely useless move. His <near> RK, however, is an axe kick
that is blindingly fast, has incredible range, and hits twice.
Unfortunately for Z/X-ism Ryu, he cannot use the <near> RK unless
he's standing very close to his opponent. V-ism Ryu, however, can
simply push the joystick back, press RK -- and, presto, he can do
the axe kick from any range !
However, the properties of Rose' <far> and <near> attacks are not
much different. Her <far> and <near> SP and FK, for example, are
nearly identical in all respects except graphics. Her <near> FP,
while being cancellable, is not very useful otherwise (since it
can be ducked under) and her <far> FP doesn't see much action at
all. In fact, the only Regular Move that V-ism enjoys is the
<near> RK. The <near> RK is worthless in X/Z-ism (why on earth
does she have a long-ranged move that can be only used at close
range ?), but is a good poking attack in V-ism. Unfortunately,
this move is still not that fantastic and is overshadowed by the
more effective moves in Rose' arsenal.
Lesson #1.2 -- V-ism Super Combo meter
First off, Rose doesn't charge as fast as other characters under
V-ism. Most characters can charge up their Super Combo meter by
simply doing whiffed Specials or throws. Try this on Rose and
you'll feel the difference. If you're using other characters
under V-ism player, Rose feels like a turtle. She also has no
Special Move that she can whiff safely. Whiffing a Soul Throw is
an invitation to be hit. The best move she can whiff is the Soul
Reflect, which fills the bar _very_ slowly.
Lesson #1.3 -- VC's
The advantage of a VC are two-fold. First (the most obvious part)
is that it's used to deal combos. A VC can be activated at
anytime you can do an attack. The activation time is nearly zero,
so you can do a attack, activate the VC, then continue the combo.
Strictly speaking, any combo that Rose can usually perform
(except those involving Super Combos) will benefit from a VC
activation. The JP + SK activation acts a mini Soul Illusion,
effectively doubling most attacks, while the SP + FK and FP + RK
activation provides for some confusion. There are, of course,
V-ism specific combos. These are combos that can only be
performed with a VC active. The mark of a good V-ism character is
one that has many VC's to be used in different situations. I have
listed only three VC's (since these are the only ones I know), both
of which have extremely limited application and pathetic damage.
Scouring the internet for more (useful) combos has not yielded
more results. The difficulties of her VC's are discussed in
Lesson #2.2.9.1.
The second advantage to VCs is the brief invulnerability period
they confer upon activation. The most practical use for this is
to activate the VC in order to go through an opponent's attack,
then combo him as he recovers. However, since Rose has lousy VCs,
this advantantage is nearly pointless.
If you really want to deal multi-hit, damaging combos, go for
Z-ism instead. Rose' VCs simply do not compensate for the lack of
Super Combos.
Now we'll discuss the merits of Z over V.
Lesson #1.3 -- Super Combos
While a proper VC can deal more damage than Super Combos, Rose'
Supers Combos' strength does not come from damage (although a
level 3 Aura Soul Throw certainly dishes it out) but from the
flexibility it gives Rose. Her Super Combos cover many bases:
projectiles, anti-projectile, anti-air, juggles, massive combo
potential, and even initimidation.
Why not X-ism ?
Lesson #1.4 -- One Version of One Super Combo
As I've mention in Lesson #1.3, Rose' Super Combos give her
flexibility. X-ism only has one version of one kind of Super
Combo she has under Z-ism.
Also, according to some accounts, X-ism Rose' Aura Soul Throw can
be escaped from by mashing buttons. I can attest to this. What's
the point of having a Super Combo your opponent can escape from ?
Lesson #1.5 -- Not that great damage increase
X-ism is supposed to grant 20% more damage than Z-ism. This is,
at best, an overestimate. Rose' damage increase in X-ism is
only about 10%. Her X-ism Aura Soul Throw inflicts the same
damage in X-ism as in Z-ism.
Lesson #1.6 -- No air-block, no ground roll
The importance of air-block and ground roll are variable. At
lower levels of gameplay (such as two SFZ beginners duking it
out), having an air-block is of utmost importance, while the
ground roll is ignored. At mid-level gameplay, most players
realize that jumping is not to be over-used, so air-blocking
takes a backseat to better ground games. The importance of ground
rolls are also discovered by mid-level players, who start to use
it as part of their confusion tactics. At the very highest levels
of gameplay, players know that while air-blocking is not the
key to effective gameplay, it's infinitely better to have one
when it counts. Ground roll, on the other hand, fades again from
use (but not completely) because a really good player won't be
fooled by it anymore.
X-ism has no air-block and no ground roll. Why deny yourself of
these moves just for the sake of inflicting 10% more damage for
your Regular Moves ?
Lesson #2 -- Moves discussion
Here I'll divide Regular Moves into Need to Know, Nice to Know, and
the Forgettable.
Lesson #2.1 -- The properties of moves
Moves have a "Start-up". This is the time between pressing a
button and the time when the move actually hits. Most moves
(particularly Regular Moves) have a very small and negligible
start-up. Some, however, have rather long ones. Start-up time is
a very important thing to mindful of. If your opponent uses a
move with a large start-up time (such as if Ryu's attempts a
fireball) you can stop it by using a move that has a small
start-up time (such as a fast move like a jab, provided, of
course, you're close enough).
Moves have a "duration". Duration is the brief amount of time
that a move can hit. Duration is usually only important with
aerial (jumping) moves. For example, try jumping and pressing SK.
Rose will stick out her foot -- and she'll her foot extended for
quite some time. Now try jumping and pressing RK. Rose will
extend her foot, then quickly retract them. The important of
duration is simple -- the longer the duration, the easier it is
to hit with.
Finally, moves have a "recovery time". This is the time Rose
requires to recover (to be able to block or do another move)
right after finishing one. For example, do a Soul Spark. Notice
that Rose is vulnerable for a quite a long time. She can't move
aa she's "recovering" from her Soul Spark. In general, the more
powerful the move, the longer the recovery time. The recovery
time of certain moves can be cut short (such as in a "cancel"/
"2-in-1"). For all intents and purposes, all aerial moves have
the same recovery time (since you can usually do one aerial
move at a time anyway).
Moves have "range", which is usually used to describe how far a
move can hit. A move that is termed long-ranged can hit an
opponent farther than usual. This is a rather relative term, so
use a bit of common sense.
Moves have a "hit area". This is similar to it's range, but hit
area is usually used to describe which parts of a character's
body can inflict damage while doing an attack. Most moves will
only hit with the limb being extended. For example, when Rose
does a jumping SK, only Rose' leading foot will inflict damage.
However, if Rose does a jumping FK, not only does her leading
foot do damage, but her entire lower torso and even her hands
can. Another example: Zangief's punches reach out quite far, but
his hit area only covers his wrists, not his fist. What this
means is that in order for Zangief to inflict damage, his wrist,
not his knuckles, must hit the opponent. All of this may not
sound logical (and is a often complained about), but that's
CAPCOM for you.
Moves have a "priority". When two characters attack
simultaneously, the one with the higher priority wins. A move's
priority is affected by it's speed, range, and hit area, but some
moves have plainly more priority than others. The most infamous
high-priority attack is Ryu and Ken's Dragon Punch. Very few
moves will beat it. Rose, in general, has slightly higher
priority moves than most other characters (mainly because she's
fast and her moves have long range).
Moves have "damage" -- the amount of... er... damage it can
inflict. The damage inflicted by a move influces the
hitstun/blokstun time as well as how far a character is pushed
back when hit. A jab will just nudge you opponent backward (and
stun him only for a little while), while a fierce punch will push
him back farther (and stun him longer). Also, there is such as
thing as "scaling damage" in SFZ3. Basically, the less life a
character has, the less damage attacks do. For example, doing a
level 3 Aura Soul Throw when your opponent's Life Bar is full
will do around 50% damage. If you do the level 3 Aura Soul Throw
when his Life Bar is already at 50% it will only deal around 30%
damage. Damage scaling also affects combos -- the greater the
number of hits in a combo, the less damage the individual attacks
make. Finally, there are certain characters that take less damage
from attacks than others. Zangief, for example, takes less damage
when hit than Ken. All of these are reasons why I did not include
specific damage values of the attacks -- simply too many factors
are involved.
Lesson #2.2 -- Need to Know
These are moves you must be completely familiar with to use Rose
effectively.
Lesson #2.2.1 -- Crouching JP
This move is _fast_, with decent priority and range (for a
jab). The damage, however, is pitiful.
It's a very useful move. First, it's an attack that can link
to practically anything in Rose' arsenal. When opportunity
presents, hit your opponent with a crouching JP, then link
to another attack. Second, the it's a great defensive move
(see "Frozen Rose" and the various strategies, all discussed
later in this document). If your opponent is pressing the
attack, you can use it in an attempt to interrupt whatever
he's doing. It's also useful in ground fake-outs, especially
against V-ism opponents (see strategies section).
The crouching JP is also cancellable, but do _not_ do this.
Because it inflicts so little damage (and, therefore, it
causes very little blockstun/hitstun), if you attempt to
cancel it into a Special Move or Super Combo your opponent
will likely be able to block and counter-attack.
Because the crouching JP pushes an opponent such a small
distance, it can be used to tick. Do the jab, and once
it's blocked, walk over and throw your opponent. This won't
work against higher-level opponents, but will certainly rip
scrubs apart.
Lesson #2.2.2 -- Crouching SK
This move actually sucks. It inflicts very little damage,
it's priority isn't that hot, and it's hit area is horrible.
So why did I include this move under "need to know" ?
Two reasons. First, it's fast (but not as fast as the
crouching JP) and can link to Rose' other attacks. If you
can hit you opponent with a crouching JP, chances are you
can stick in a crouching SK right after it. Second,
it plays an important adjuct to Rose' ground games,
particularly against V-ism opponents.
This move is cancellable, but like her crouching JP I
wouldn't recommend it. It can also be used to tick.
Lesson #2.2.3 -- Jumping SK
Rose' jumping SK is very fast (extremely short start-up) and
has very long duration. It's priority is _very_ high, and
few things will beat it. The sole disadvantage is the
minimal damage it inflicts.
This move has four basic uses. First, as air-to-air. The
jumping SK is enough to stop most attacks when both Rose and
your opponent are in the air. Second, it's excellent
air-to-ground, as very few anti-air moves can stop it
reliably. This won't stop you opponent from trying -- so
watch out, because jumping SK inflicts so little damage
you'll feel short-changed if your opponent manages to hit
Rose anyway. This move is a also good ticking weapon. Hit
your opponent with only the tip of Rose' foot, land, then
throw him. Finally, this move can be used to start combos,
but because of it's minimal damage, there are other, better
moves for this purpose.
Lesson #2.2.4 -- Crouching SP
This move has very good priority, very slightly longer range
than the crouching JP, as well as longer duration (which,
unfortunately, means it's also slower) and tremendous hit
area -- the area directly above Rose' arm can also be hit by
this move (from the lightning perhaps ?)
The crouching SP can be used in the same situations as the
crouching JP. It can link (but is harder to do so) and
can be used defensively. The strength of the crouching SP,
however, is in it's poking ability. Within it's range, there
are very few attacks that will beat it. This move is also
cancellable (such as into a SK Soul Spiral), so if you
manage to poke successfully you can quickly turn it into a
combo. An unusual use for this move is anti-air. Because the
area above Rose' arm is within it's hit area, it can
actually stop poorly-timed jump-in attacks (this is rather
difficult, but a real crowd-shocker).
Lesson #2.2.5 -- Crouching FK
This is Rose' primary poke. It's long-ranged, rather fast,
and good priority. If used as a poke, keep in mind that the
farther you are from your opponent, the better the crouching
FK. In other words, try to poke with the crouching FK in
such a way that only the very tip of Rose' foot touches your
opponent.
This move is cancellable (into a Soul Spiral, for example).
Lesson #2.2.6 -- Jumping FK
Like Rose' jumping SK, the jumping FK is fast and has good
duration (but not fast nor as long lasting as the jumping
SK). On the upside, it inflicts more damage and has a _huge_
hit area and range plus comparable priority.
The jumping FK is used in nearly the same way as the jumping
SK is, but because it's slightly slower, it requires a bit
more timing. Also, it's hard to use in a tick -- it pushes
your opponent too far away.
The unique strength of the jumping FK, however, comes from
it's hit area. It's _big_. dispite being called a kick, all
of Rose' limbs (feet, legs, arms, hands, and her butt)
can hit. This is Rose' primary cross-up attack. Cross-up is
discussed later in this document.
Lesson #2.2.7 -- Crouching FP
Rose' crouching FP has two uses. First, it's anti-air. It's
pretty much average as far as anti-air moves go. It can hit
aerial characters only from certain angles and requires a
bit of timing. However, Rose does a a very lethal anti-air
juggle: crouching FP -> Soul Throw. While it's unlikely to
you'll ever land this combo against an expert opponent
(because they wouldn't jump around much in the first place,
or they'll jump from an angle not covered by the crouching
FP), learning this combo is reason enough to master the
crouching FP.
The second use of the crouching FP is in combos. This move
is readily cancellable to most of Rose' Special Moves and
Super Combos. Unfortunately, this move has very poor range.
If you aren't careful, it may miss completely. An example of
a combo that can easily miss is:
jumping FP -> crouching FP -> (any Special/Super)
Learn the proper range of the crouching FP, especially right
after a jumping attack.
Lesson #2.2.8 -- Soul Spark
Rose' fireball differs from other character's in some ways.
First, the shawl Rose whips out prior to releasing the
"spark" pushes an opponent to the very tip of it. The length
of the shawl is determined by the punch used to do the Soul
Spark. A JP Soul Spark pushes your opponent a little
distance, while a FP Soul Spark pushes your opponent pretty
far away. This bit of info may come in handy when you want
to create some distance between Rose and your opponent.
Trying to use the Soul Spark when your opponent's back is
near a wall is a death sentence for Rose. Since's he's
already cornered, he won't be pushed back anymore, and he
may be able to recover fast enough to punish Rose as she
recovers from the Soul Spark.
Second, the Soul Spark is notoriously hard to combo with.
Not only is the joystick motion harder than Ryu's fireball,
but because Rose' shawl pushes the opponent away, the
spark won't hit him at all. In fact, only the JP Soul
Spark will combo reliably (and it's pretty spotty at best).
Third, the damage of the Soul Spark can be increased by
absorbing an opponent's fireball with a JP Soul Reflect
(discussed below). This is a one-shot deal (one absorbed
fireball = one Power Soul Spark), and is more like a piece
of trivia rather than useful knowledge (so don't ruin your
game by recklessly absorbing fireballs in an attempt to
increase the Soul Spark's damage).
Use the Soul Spark judiciously. Throwing it at your opponent
blindly hoping that you'll hit is the mark of an amateur. As
much as possible, use it solely in combos, as its recovery
time is very long.
Lesson #2.2.9 -- Soul Spiral
The kick used to start the Soul Spiral determines it's
start-up, recovery time, and number of hits. A SK Soul
Spiral starts up fast, recovers fast, and hits once. A FK
Soul Spiral hits up to two times. A RK Soul Spiral starts up
slow, recovers slow, and hits up to three times. If a Soul
Spiral hits, your opponent will be knocked down.
This is Rose' main combo Special Move. If it's blocked,
you're opponent will likely be able to counter-attack, so
try to use this move only if you're sure it will hit. The SK
Soul Spiral, however, can be used against an opponent even
if you're not sure it will hit -- provided only the very tip
of Rose' fist will touch your opponent. In fact, here's a
strategy I like to use (if I have a full Super Combo meter):
do a series of kicks -> then end with a SK Soul Spiral with
only the tip of Rose' fist touching my opponent -> do a
level 3 Aura Soul Throw. This is a bit risky, I know, but
it's so nice to see the look of surprise on their faces.
Pretty soon the stop trying to counter-attack whenever I do
a Soul Spiral. FK Soul Spiral has no practical use -- it's
too slow recovering if blocked and if you're sure you're
going to hit then use the RK Soul Spiral instead (although
there are situations that only FK and not the SK Spiral will
hit, the risk of missing is still too great). With that
being said, the RK Soul Spiral can only be combo'd safely
right after a crouching FP. It's too slow to be combo'd from
any other Regular Move.
Lesson #2.2.10 -- Aura Soul Throw
The Aura Soul is Rose only "Need to Know" Super Combo.
A level 1 Aura Soul Throw is a souped-up version of her Soul
Throw, with better start-up, priority and hit area. This
move will _not_ hit a character on the ground. While this
move certainly has it's uses (it's effective anti-air, and
very nasty in a crouching FP -> level 1 Aura Soul Throw
juggle), I almost _never_ use this move unless I'm pretty
desperate and the opportunity presents itself. Save your
Super Combo meter for the ones below.
A level 2 Aura Soul Throw is very useful. First, it's a
powerful anti-air move. Because it hits multiple times, do
_not_ treat it like an Soul Throw -- wait until your
opponent is nearly on the ground then do it. The first few
frames of animation are practically invulnerable and thus
justifies this delay. Second, it's a good move to use in a
combo. Unfortunately, the range isn't too hot and therefore
I rarely use it in this manner. Third, it's a good defensive
move against an opponent who's standing too close and
attacking. Since the first few frames are invulnerable, it
can go through attacks (such as Ryu's hop kick) and punish
your opponent, or you can use it as a Reversal when your
opponent is trying to attack while Rose is knocked down.
A level 3 Aura Soul Throw is one of the most powerful moves
in SFZ3. The first frames of animation covers a huge area
and is invulnerable, plus it inflicts massive damage. First,
it can be used in combos (see the combos section). Second,
it can punish mistimed moves, such as a crouching RK done
from a distance (which Ryu and Ken players love) or right
through fireballs. This move is so powerful it justifies
leaving yourself vulnerable from small periods of time (such
as a blocked SK Soul Spiral) in order to lure your opponent
into attacking. This move can also be used against jumping
characters, but take note: if you use this move against an
opponent almost directly on top of Rose it can miss.
Note: X-ism Rose can only perform the level 3 Aura Soul
throw and not the level 1/2. She inflicts the same damage as
Z-ism Rose.
Note: the level 3 Aura Soul and X-ism Aura Soul Throw can be
both escaped from by mashing buttons, but the X-ism version
is much easier to do so from.
Lesson #2.2 -- Nice to Know
Nice to know moves are those that are not as useful in general,
those that are useful only against certain characters, or those
that are useful only when an opportunity arises (and you can't use
anything else).
Lesson #2.2.1 -- Standing JP
The standing JP is _very_ fast, with decent priority and
area. For nearly all intents and purposes, it's the equal
of her crouching JP.
So what's wrong with the standing JP that it's relegated to
"nice to know" instad of "need to know" ? While Rose can
certainly link from standing JP in the same way she can link
her crouching JP, Rose has a harder time linking from a
standing position. Most of her links are based from a
crouching position, and moving the joytsick up and down just
in order to link attacks is not good form. Besides, her
standing JP sometimes whiffs when your opponent is
crouching (such as Blanka).
The standing JP, however, has a unique application:
anti-air. With the proper timing, the standing JP will snuff
a lot of aerial attacks. Learn how to use the standing JP as
anti-air -- the shock value is worth it. I just love it when
Akuma jump attacks with RK. I press JP and watch Rose' fist
go througg Akuma's leg and hit him cleanly.
Lesson #2.2.2 -- <far> Standing FP
Rose whips out her shawl a distance. This move has low
priority and rather slow recovery, but the area it covers
and it's range make it an ideal move to punish mistakes.
Lesson #2.2.3 -- Jumping FP
With this move, Rose hips her shawl out in an arc. Decent
priorty and damage. Rather large hit area, and it can hit
even those opponents slightly above Rose.
This move has several disadvantages. First, Rose has other,
higher priority moves -- if you're trying to win an air-to-
air exchange, this move will make you feel short-changed.
Second, the hit area is directed to the areas in front of
Rose, so it's very hard to hit someone directly beneath her
-- this move is hard to use as a cross-up. Third, the range of
this move is shorter than her jumping FK -- again, in an
air-to-air situation this move may not be the best for her.
Fourth, this move notoriously hard to hit "deep" with -- if
you're trying to start a combo with the jumping FP your
timing must be precise, otherwise you'll be pushed too far
out for the rest of your combo to hit.
Lesson #2.2.4 -- <far> Standing RK
This is Rose' longest ranged Regular Move and can hit
opponents as far as 1/2 screen distance away. That's about
it. While this move will never see much action, it's still
nice to know, as you use it to punish mistakes from a
distance. A few brave souls use it to poke. I don't
recommend it, as the recovery time and priority aren't too
good.
Lesson #2.2.5 -- <near> Standing RK
Rose flips forward then sticks her foot out overhead. While
this move is utterly worthless in X/Z-ism, in V-ism this is
quite a poking weapon since it's long ranged and rather
fast.
Lesson #2.2.6 -- Crouching RK
Beginners love sweeps, and Rose' crouching RK seems truly
incredible. It's rather fast on the start-up, _extremely_
long ranged, and has decent priority.
It's also slow as hell in recovering. If Rose sweeps and
whiffs, your opponent can pretty much do anything to you.
While this move has it's merits, I almost never use it
against a decent opponent.
Lesson #2.2.7 -- Jumping RK
An incredibly long-ranged aerial kick. Excellent priority,
and pretty fast, too. Too fast, that is. The duration of
this move is _very_ short, so it requires far more timing
than her other aerial moves. Once you've got the timing
down, however, this is a great air-to-air and air-to-ground
move and can easily replace the jumping FP.
Lesson #2.2.8 -- Soul Throw
Theoretically, you can catch an aerial opponent with this
move. Realistically, the Soul Throw has a tiny hit area, no
matter which punch button you use (which controls the height
which Rose jumps). In order to use it effectively, you have
to anticipate your oppponent's jump -- but even if have ESP
it's still hard to catch you opponent because the Soul Throw
has nearly zero priority and almost any move will knock Rose
out of it. Let's face it -- as anti-air this move sucks. It
also can't be used against an opponent on the ground (in
case any were hoping to use it against the likes of Zangief
or Sagat standing).
In juggles, however... The Soul Throw is best used right
after you hit your jumping opponent with something else. The
prototypical move to use is the crouching FP. Cancel the
crouching FP into a Soul Throw and there is no escape
(although you won't see "2 hit combo" appearing...
apparently, the Soul Throw is, indeed, a "throw" and
therefore won't normally count as a combo). Even if you
don't cancel the crouching FP the Soul Throw can still hit
(but in that case your opponent can sometimes hit you out of
it).
Another use I've found for the Soul Throw is to get out of
corners. For example, if Rose' back is already to the wall,
you can attempt a FP Soul Throw to try to get behind your
opponent. This is an extremely danagerous stunt, but since
it's pretty unorthodox sometimes your opponent won't react
effectively.
Lesson #2.2.9 -- Soul Reflect
The Soul Reflect's primary use is anti-projectile. Akuma,
Ryu, Ken, Rose, Sagat, Dan, Sakura, Charlie, Guile, Chun-Li,
and Bison's projectiles will be affected similarly (JP Soul
Reflect absorbs, SP reflects horizontally, FP reflects
diagonally). As mentioned, the JP Soul Reflect not only
increases Rose' Super Combo Meter, but also increases the
damage of her next Soul Spark. Rolento's knives will be
reflected horizontally, even with the FP version. Cody's
knife will bounce off Rose and fall to the floor, while
the stone will break up (in both cases it appears that
Rose simply blocked).
The Soul Reflect cannot be used against Super Combo
fireballs (such as Ryu, Akuma, and Rose'). Also, multiple
projectiles such as from Charlie's Sonic Break or a VC are
extremely hard to reflect. Supposedly, it's possible to
Reflect Dan's Super Combo fireball, but I haven't verify
this.
The Soul Reflect can be used to inflict damage. It will jerk
your opponent upward slightly if it hits, and there are some
combos that take advantage of this. Realistically, though,
the Soul Reflect is next to useless against characters with
no fireball (or those not using theirs). While this move is
undoubtedly useful, don't rely on it to get you through
every fight.
Lesson #2.2.9.1 -- Problems with the Soul Reflect VC
Two VCs I listed here are based on her Soul Reflect.
There is, however, a very big problem when using the
Soul Reflect in a VC -- it tends to cancel too easily.
In the first combo [FP Soul Reflect -> Slide], if you
do the Slide too fast the FP Soul Reflect will not hit.
This combo is too hard for me to land consistently.
During the times that I did land the combo consistenly
(for around 12 hits before reaching the corner), the
damage was very small. When I tried using the combo in
a real match, I realized that I must be either nearly
tipping the opponent over before I activated the VC or
I did a deep cross-up FK first for the combo to hit
properly.
The second combo is much easier than the first (but
it's still pretty hard -- doing the SP Soul Reflect
still required tons of timing) and dealt decent enough
damage. Unfortunately, the opponent had to be in the
air _and_ in a corner for it to work. The only
practical way to place my opponent in _that_ situation
would be to do the first combo flawlessly (or him to be
dizzy in a corner).
I play V-ism Akuma, Ryu, Ken, Zangief, and Honda fairly
well. Rose' VCs are harder than any of them, don't
nearly inflict as much damage, and are not useful at
all. I threw V-ism Rose in the trash.
Lesson #2.2.10 -- Soul Illusion
During the Soul Illusion Rose is trailed by shadows which
duplicate her every move. Her regular moves hit 3 times,
while her other moves are increased slightly more than 2
times. Throws are unaffected. The duration of the Soul
Illusion is fixed. The higher the level used, the longer the
duration. The Soul Illusion is best employed in combos,
since a lot of combos can inflict more damage with Soul
Illusion active. There are also Soul Illusion specific
combos (see the combos section).
Only the level 1 Soul Illusion is worth using since
combos don't last long enough to justify a level 2/3.
Outside combos, Soul Illusion also confers greater guard
crash capability (all those extra hits take out the Guard
Meter, too), as well as a form of intimidation. Most
beginners and a lot of intermediate players freeze up when
the see the Soul Illusion activated.
Lesson #2.2.11 -- Aura Soul Spark
The closer you are, the more damage the level 1 Aura Soul
Spark inflicts, but even if you're point blank it doesn't do
a lot of damage. The only use of the level 1 Aura Soul Spark
is if your opponent's Life Bar is about to be emptied, and
you want to inflict enough damage even if he blocks (since
it hits 3 times). Another use of the level 1 Aura Soul Spark
is when your opponent throws a fireball, and you want Rose'
fireball to go through theirs -- take note that this won't
work against Super Combo fireballs (maybe it will work
against Dan's).
In a level 2 Aura Soul Spark, Rose will do a cartwheel (it
looks like several Soul-piettes), hitting 3 times before
whipping out her shawl with a 3-hit fireball. The initial
frames of this move are invulnerable, and since this move
takes her forward a great deal, this move can be used to go
through an attack (such as an opponent's fireball). This
move is also mildly useful if your opponent's Life Bar is
about to be emptied -- since it hits so many times it can
deal a decent amount of damage even when blocked. The
greatest use of the level 2 Aura Soul Spark, however, is in
conjunction with a level 1 Soul Illusion -- lots of hits !
In the level 3 Aura Soul Spark, Rose will do what looks like
her SP Soul Reflect prior to throwing a 3-hit fireball (for
a total of 4 hits). The shawl will also give off an arc of
energy that will reflect projectiles the same manner as a SP
Soul Reflect would, but can also reflect Super Combo
fireballs. Ideally, Rose should do this move when the
opponent throws a Super Combo fireball so that both the
returning Super Combo fireball and Rose' fireball inflicts
damage. Realistically, it's probably better to do a level 3
Aura Soul Throw through your opponent's fireball, since the
level 3 Aura Soul Throw inflicts way more damage.
Lesson #2.2.12 -- Soul Drain
The Soul Drain is useful in these situations:
a) As a tick. A tick is defined as a weak attack followed by
throw. As a holdover from World Warrior, ticks as considered
"cheap" by many (personally, I tick only when I know my
opponent can take it, when he does a tick first, or if
he's using the timer to win). Ticks will rip beginners
apart (or anyone else too slow to react).
b) Right after a cross-up attack. A lot of players are too
busy trying to block a cross-up properly that they fail to
react to a throw right after one.
c) The frontal throw. Just walk right up to him and throw.
You'd be surprised by how many people you can catch with
this (they'd be surprised, too).
d) Your opponent made a mistake and you don't feel like
doing a combo (too lazy?).
There are two problems with Rose' Soul Drain. First, it
technically not a throw -- it's a hold. You have to mash the
buttons and waggle the stick just to deal enough damage to
make the throw attempt worthwhile. Second, I still haven't
figured out the mechanics of where Rose lands -- sometimes
she lands to the right of the opponent, sometimes to the
left. This is a serious problem, since you might end up
cornered right after the Soul Drain.
Lesson #2.13 -- Forward Ground Roll
You can do a Ground Roll in similar situations where you
can air-recover. You can also do a Ground Roll after an
air-blocking an attack.
Ground Roll has two basic uses. First, it can cross the
screen faster than anything else Rose can do. This is useful
in going back into the fray of the action quickly, hopefully
catching you opponent off-guard. It's so nice to do roll
under a fireball then do a combo before Akuma recovers from
it. The second use of the ground roll is to get out of
corners. I usually do this right after doing an air-block
(since I'd rather air-recover if I was hit in a corner). I
try to roll into attack range if possible, but sometimes I
just roll away as far behind the opponentas possible
(especially when faced with Akuma or Zangief).
The Ground Roll has a very big problem. You can be hit while
rolling. I use the Ground Roll sparingly when faced with a
good opponent.
Lesson #2.3 -- Moves to be relegated to the back of your mind
These are moves that require special situations to be useful.
Otherwise, you can forget them.
Lesson #2.3.1 -- Slide
Rose can slide under certain fireballs (namely, Bison's).
She can probably slide others, but the timing is hideously
difficult, and considering the amount of damage the slide
does, not worth it. The slide can almost inflict a modest
amount of damage under Soul Illusion, and there's a VC
based on the slide. Otherwise... This move has poor
recovery and only passable priority.
There are probably other uses for the Slide, but I haven't
found them yet. Personally, I avoid it like the plague.
Lesson #2.3.2 -- Soul-piette
Rose does her <near> standing RK, then takes a step forward.
In theory, this move should be an attack that brings you
closer to an opponent, hopefully surprising him. This is
assuming that your opponent is so slow as not to punish you
viciously as Rose is recovering. It has the same priority as
the <near> standing RK, but even in V-ism this move isn't
worth the risks.
Lesson #2.3.3 -- <far> and <near> standing FK
Both of these moves are used as "anti-sweep". Both moves
take Rose' torso off the ground, so, theoretically, Rose
becomes immune to low attacks momentarily. The <far>
standing FK is more effective in this regard than the <near>
version.
I'm convinced that only someone with ESP can use this move
consistenly. In practice, you have to do these moves
_before_ your opponent sweeps. And if you could do _that_,
you wouldn't need this document anymore. Seriously, if
you're the type who can predict your opponent's moves that
well, you'd probably do a level 2/3 Aura Soul Throw or a
cross-up combo instead.
Lesson #2.3.4 -- Zero Counter
Zero Counters are moves of last resort -- the penalty for
using them is very high (1 block of Guard Meter, 1 level or
50% of Super Combo Meter), and the damage they inflict is
laughable (the Soul Collect doesn't even inflict any).
Why don't I include Zero Counter under Lesson #2.4 ? Well,
it's because Zero Counters do have some use... First is when
you're going to be Guard Crashed. Since you're going to lose
some amount of Guard Meter when you're Guard Crashed, might
as well do a Zero Counter and avoid the "stunning" effect
being crashed does. Second is when you're about to take die
from a blocked Special or Super Combo, such as a Super Combo
fireball or Dragon Punch, or even some VC's. Third, it's a
flashy way to win. Being finished off by a Zero Counter is a
very humbling experience. Finally, there's a theory that you
can hit your opponent right after doing a Soul Collect. I've
seen this happen a lot in SFZ2, but not here in SFZ3, and I
haven't been able to do it myself.
Lesson #2.4 -- Useless moves
Well, maybe not _totally_ useless. Rose' moves like her standing
SP certainly aren't _useless_, it just so happens she has more
effective moves that can deal with the same situations.
Here's the list: jumping JP (use jumping SK instead), <far> and
<near> standing SP and <close> standing FP (use crouching SP
instead), jumping SP (use jumping FK/FP/RK instead), standing SK
(use _anything_ instead), Soul Fade (if you're good enough to use
an airthrow, then you're good enough to do a crouching FP -> Soul
Throw juggle).
Lesson #3 -- Jump-attacks and combos
Jumping then attacking has two purposes: to hit you opponent while
he's in the air or to hit your opponent while he's on the ground. This
section deals with the latter.
Jumping then attacking an opponent on the ground can be divided into
two categories. The first is the "early" aerial attack, also known as
the "shallow" attack (as opposed to "deep", which is discussed later).
A early jumping attack involves trying to hit the top of your
opponent's head. Simply jump the attack on your way down. Try this
(PSX training mode): jump, then as you begin to fall press FP. Rose
will whip her shawl out and hit Ken's hair. The advantage of doing
early attacks is that they will snuff most anti-air or air-to-air. The
disadvtange of an early aerial attack is that your opponent may have
the time to recover before Rose' feet touch the ground. At best, this
may mean that Rose can't combo further. At worst, this may mean your
opponent will counter attack rather viciously.
A deep aerial attack involves trying to hit your opponent's chest or
waist. You can do this by attacking _just before_ you land. As with
the example above, jump on your opponent. However, press the FP half a
second just before landing. If you're successful, Rose' shawl will hit
Ken at chest or waist level.
Deep aerial attacks are required if you want to do jump-in combos. A
jump-in combo is basically a jump-attack followed by another attack on
the ground. An example would be jump-in FP -> crouching RK. Do the
jumping FP as "deep" as you can then do a crouching RK.
Take note that there is such as a thing as hitting too deep. This
occurs if you wait to long before attacking in the air. At best, your
just be pushed too far out to combo further. At worst, your attack
might miss (something utterly very odd -- your attack will simply go
through your opponent and not hit him) and take you by surprise
(allowing you opponent an opportunity to react).
Take note that in order to hit early or deep at will you have to learn
the timing of the moves. As with a lot of things in SF, practice is
the key.
Lesson #3.1 Cross-ups
Cross-ups are a type of jump-attack where you attack your
opponent in such a way that he can't tell whether you're going to
land to his left or to his right (and therefore, hopefully
confusing him enough so that he won't be able to block at all).
Although theoretically all aerial attacks can be used to do
cross-ups, Rose' jumping FK is best suited for this purpose.
As with ordinary jump-attacks, cross-ups can be early or deep.
For those of you with PSX's, go to training mode and set the
dummy to "stand" and "all-guard". Let Rose stand at the
very tip of her crouching FK range. Now jump forward and try to
hit Ken with a jumping FK. If Ken turns around and blocks, then
you've just made a successful cross-up attack (BTW, the CPU
isn't fooled by cross-up attacks -- cross-up attacks are for
human opponents). If Rose' jumping FK whiffs it likely means
she's standing too close or you pressed FK too late. If Ken
doesn't turn around, Rose is standing too far away. This is an
example of an early cross-up.
Now set the dummy to "crouch" and "no guard" and let Rose stand
a step beyond the tip of her crouching FK range. Jump forward and
try to hit Ken with a jumping FK. If you did a successful
cross-up, Ken should turn around before being hit. It should look
like Rose is hitting Ken's head with her hands instead of her
legs. This is an example of a deep cross-up.
As mentioned earlier, cross-up attacks are meant for use against
human players, not the CPU. Cross-ups are ususally used against
an opponent that has been knocked to the ground (about to get up)
or are crouch-blocking too much. Cross-ups are an integral part
to mid-to-high level gameplay. However, be aware that the Shotos
(or anybody with powerful anti-air) can deal with cross-ups with
vicious results.
When should you do jump-attacks ? The following assume that you are
facing a moderate to expert level opponent (and therefore can react to
a poorly timed jump attack). Further details on when you can jump in
with an attack are given in the Vs. section.
_Never_ jump forward just to gain ground. This is a _mistake_. If you
want to come closer to your opponent then _walk_. Excessive
jump-attacking is a mark of an amateur. Just because the CPU lets you
jump in with an attack doesn't mean a human opponent would. To train
yourself against excessive jumping, try this: consistently finish
level 8 difficulty in the PSX without jumping. Not even once. If you
jump forward, consider the match lost and start from the beginning.
Right after your opponent does a dumb move. Only those with extremely
slow-recovering moves (such as those throwing fireballs) are
vulnerable to this. For example, If Ryu throws a fireball at you, jump
in with an attack and combo. You have to be fast reacting, tough.
Remember that Ryu's infamous fireball -> dragon punch trap is based on
nailing opponents who jump-attack too late.
Right after you've knocked you opponent down. When you've knocked an
opponent down, he's ripe for a cross-up (provided you're within
range), but a simple frontal jump-attack works, too. Remember: a lot
of characters are capable of doing anti-air as a reversal attack
(again, Ryu is an example) and can hit Rose from a jump-attack.
The character has poor anti-air Ahh, Charlie. And Z/X-ism Vega. And
even Chun Li. Some characters simply can't deal with Rose' jumping
attacks. Details are in the Vs. Section, but remember that even if
these characters can't deal with jump-attacks you still have to use
some common sense.
Air-to-air. Once you've gotten comfortable with Rose aerial moves you
can start using them to knock your opponent out of the air. Her SK
works particularly well.
Lesson #4 -- Linking
A link is a type of combo where two Regular Moves will connect if you
press the appropriate buttons with the proper timing.
I'll divide linking into several levels. Remember that links are
easier the closer you are to your opponent. There are definitely more,
(such as those involving standing attacks), but these should get you
started.
Easy Links. Rose has only one move that links easily: her crouching
JP. If at any time the crouching JP hits or is blocked, you can
immediately link to another attack. Practice until these links become
second nature.
crouching JP -> crouching JP/SK
What this means is that if you hit your opponent with crouching JP,
you can do another crouching JP or a crouching SK and chances are it
will hit, too. Just press the buttons as fast as you can.
Moderate Links. Moderate links should always be attempted if possible.
These moves are pretty fast in themselves, so even if they don't link
properly your opponent will unlikely try to respond to it.
crouching JP -> crouching SP/FK
crouching SK -> crouching SP/FK
crouching FK -> crouching SK
Moderate links, unlike easy links, need a little more timing, so
simply pressing the buttons quickly won't work.
Hard Links. Hard links are just that: hard to do. These links demand
that you be right next to your opponent plus impeccable timing. Use
these only to show off.
crouching SP -> crouching JP
crouching SP -> standing RK
crouching SP -> crouching SK
crouching FK -> crouching RK
Once you get the hang of doing 2-hit links, try mixing them up. Going
past 2 hits gets exponentially hard...
crouching JP -> crouching SK -> crouching FK
crouching JP -> coruching FK -> crouching RK
Add an jump-attack...
Jump-in FP -> crouching JP -> crouching FK
Finally, try something like this...
cross-up FK -> crouching JP -> crouching SK -> crouching SP ->
standing RK
Lesson #5 -- Cancellable attacks/2-in-1's
As mentioned in Lesson #2, all moves have a recovery time. However,
there are some Regular Moves whose recovery time can be shortened by
doing a Special Move or a Super Combo fast enough. This is called
"cancelling" (because, in effect, the recovery time is "cancelled" by
the Special/Super Combo). These Regular Moves are called "cancellable
attacks". The Regular Move -> Special/Super Combo sequence is often
called "2-in-1's" (because it's as if you're doing two moves in one
motion).
Lesson #5.1 -- Rose' Cancellable attacks
Here's a list of Rose' cancellable attacks.
standing JP, crouching JP
<far> and <near> SP, crouching SP
<near> FP, crouching FP
crouching SK
crouching FK
Theoretically, any of the above listed moves will cancel and
combo into any of Rose' Special Moves and Super Combos.
Realistically, just because you can cancel an attack doesn't mean
that it will all hit properly. For example, attempting a JP ->
Soul Spiral generally equals death for Rose. Your opponent will
never get hit by such a combo, and will likely be able to recover
before Rose can. You have to know which Regular Move will cancel
to what Special Move/Super Combo and not leave you vulnerable to
counter attack. Naturally, the closer you are to your opponent,
the easier to hit with a 2-in-1r.
standing JP/crouching JP/crouching SK -> level 2/3 Aura Soul
Throw
There are no other safe cancels with standing JP, crouching JP,
and croucing SK. As previously mentioned, its better to link to
stronger attacks first.
<far/near> standing SP -> JP Soul Spark/FP Soul Reflect/level
2/3 Aura Soul Throw
Details on the Soul Spark and Soul Reflect have already been
mentioned. To reiterate, only the JP version of the Soul Spark
and the FP version of the Soul Reflect will reliably hit.
crouching SP/crouching FK -> SK Soul Spiral/FP Soul Reflect/
level 2/3 Aura Soul Throw, level 2 Aura Soul Spark
Crouching FP -> JP Soul Spark, any level Soul Spial, level
2/3 Aura Soul throw, any level Aura Soul Spark
If you've noticed, the stronger the Regular Move used, the safer
it is to cancel it.
Lesson #5.2 -- How to do 2-in-1's
There are three methods to do 2-in-1's.
Method 1. This is the simplest (but not necessarily the easiest).
Do a cancellable attack, then do a Special Move/Super Combo as
fast as you can.
For example, hold the joystick in any down position, then press
FP. As soon as the crouching FP hits, move the joystick back.
down-back, down, down-forward, forward, then press JP (the motion
for a JP Soul Spark). If you're successful, the message "2 hit
combo" will appear.
This is my preferred method of doing 2-in-1's. Basically, it
involves doing the moves consecutively as fast as possible.
Method 2. This method involves doing a cancellable attack
_during_ the motion for the Special Move/Super Combo. The
cancellable attack will hit first, then as you complete the
Special Move/Super Combo it will hit, too.
Let's take the combo example from method 1 (the crouching FP ->
JP Soul Spark combo). Hold the joystick back, then move it
down-back, down, press FP, continue moving the stick
down-forward, forward, press JP.
In this method, you are trying to do the crouching FP while in
the middle of the motion for the JP Soul Spark. This is actually
simpler than it sound, since this is the preferred method for a
lot of players. This method is also "faster" than method 1, since
the joystick movement is more fluid.
Method 3. This method takes advantage of the "button-release"
action the CAPCOM has supposedly programmed into their fighting
games. According to some sources, whenever you press and release
a button, this actually counts as _two_ button presses.
Hold the joystick back, then move it down-back, down, press and
_hold_ FP, continue moving the stick down-forward, forward,
release FP. This combo is slightly different from the one in
method 1 and 2. This is a crouching FP -> FP Soul Spark.
Of the three methods mentioned, this is undoubtedly the fastest.
The disadvantage in this method is that it's obviously impossible
to use with a lot of combos (such as those involving two
different buttons, such as crouching FP -> RK Soul Spiral).
Lesson #6 -- Juggles and air-recovering
A juggle involves comboing your opponent while he's in the air.
Strictly speaking, Rose seems to be a juggler (due to her Soul Throw,
Aura Soul Throw, and Soul Reflect -- see the Combos section).
Juggles come in four varieties.
The "idiot's juggle". This involves hitting your opponent in the air
multiple times because he's too dumb to air recover. This text won't
be discussing such combos (since anything you do to opponents like
this will work anyway). The "flipped juggle". This juggle means that
your opponent can flip out of the combo you are doing, but still can't
avoid being hit. The crouching FP -> Soul Spark is an example. The
"true juggle". Your opponent can't do squat as you bounce him like
a ball in the air. Rose' VCs fall into this category.
So when can you air-recover ? What are the guidelines for doing
true juggles ?
First, you obviously cannot air-recover while in a hitstun (since you
almost can't do anything during a hitstun anyway). This is the basis
of a lot of true juggles -- hit with a lot of attacks and air-recovery
can't be done.
Second, there are some moves you plainly can't air-recover from. If
you stood still and let Akuma hit you with a 3-hit JP Dragon Punch you
can air recover. If Akuma hits you with a 3-hit FP Dragon Punch,
however, you won't be able to air-recover and will fall on your back.
What these moves are you have to learn for yourself -- a list of such
situations wouldn't be useful (since nobody can be expected to
memorize and reconize them all).
Third, you can't air recover while your opponent is attacking, missed
or not -- for as long as he is in the "duration" phase of a move, Rose
will not recognize the air-recover command. What, does this mean he
has the ability to influence your ability to air recover ? Yes. This
is most noticable in VCs. For a PSX training example, pick V-ism
Charlie. Set Breakfall to Back. Push the dummy to a corner. Activate
the VC with JP + SK, then do a Flash Kick. Right after the Flash Kick
the dummy will air-recover. If, however, you press SP right after the
Flash Kick, the dummy will _not_ air-recover, even if the SP missed
completely. Here's another example: this time, pick V-ism Zangief, set
breakfall to Back, then push the dummy to a corner. Activate the VC
with FP + RK, then do a kick Spinning Clothesline. After 2 hits, the
dummy will air-recover. If, however, you do a crouching FK right after
the Clothesline, the dummy won't air-recover and instead fall to the
ground.
So what's the point of knowing all this ? You now know why some of
your own juggling attempts fail. Also, once you familiarize yourself
with the rules of juggling you're on your way to creating your own
juggling combos. You can now also spot if an opponent made a mistake
in his juggle an allowed you the opportunity to do an air-recovery
(since simply mashing the punch buttons hoping to recover usually
results in being combo'd again -- besides, it looks amateurish).
Lesson #6.1 -- When to air-recover
Details on when to air-recover are given mostly on the specific
Vs. section, but here are the guidelines I use. Unlike the other
aspects of SFZ3 gameplay, when or when not to air-recover is
basically affected by instinct. I will do an air recovery
when:
a) There's a danger of being juggled by a Regular or Special
Move. Akuma players love trying to do this. In this case I
_immediately_ do a "back" air-recovery. Depending upon which move
they tried to do, I'd either simply block the juggle attempt or
do an attack (such as FP). I've noticed that right after an
air-recovery, Rose' aerial attack gain an unprecented amount of
priority -- enough to stop most juggling attempts (but not all --
it's still tough to stop a Dragon Punch after an air-recovery)
b) I want to land as far away as possible. This works only if
Rose' back isn't to a wall. This is something I do when fighting
characters like Zangief. I do a "back" air-recovery and stick out
a long-range attack while doing so (such as FK or RK).
c) My opponent hits me with a counter-hit but failed to juggle.
For example, I jumped in with an attack, but got hit with a
crouching FP (such as from Charlie). Sometimes they fail to
follow up their attack with a juggle. In this case, I do a
"forward" air-recovery. Like in situation a), I use a bit of
common sense in deciding whether to attack or simply block on the
way down.
d) There's a danger of being juggled by a Super Combo. Akuma,
Ryu, and especially another Rose are fond of this. In this case,
I wait at the last possible moment before doing a "forward"
air-recovery. Again, this is another situations where simply
mashing the buttons in order to air-recover is contraindicated.
Most players who attempt to juggle to Super Combo expect either
an early air-recovery or a "back" version. Mashing buttons will
probably net you an early air recover and/or one where you cannot
control you descent trajectory.
e) When my back is to the wall and there's a danger of being
juggled (by anything). I _immediately_ do a "forward" air-
recover. There's a caveat to this, though (read futher below).
When is it good _not_ to air recover ? When I want to do a
ground roll instead is one. Another is when I've already been
hit in the air by two seperate moves and my back is to the wall.
Lesson #6.1.1 -- Being juggled with your back to the wall.
The following discussion assumes that your opponent is _not_
doing a VC, which will hit a falling character for as long
as the VC is active.
If you've been hit by two seperate moves while your back is
to the wall, the third move will _miss_, thus you'll fall to
the floor, ending the juggle. The easiest way to demonstrate
this is by using Akuma (PSX training mode). Push the dummy
to a corner then do 3 hit JP Dragon Punch, then immediately
do another. The message 6 hit combo appears. If you try to
do a third Dragon Punch, chances are it'll miss.
The lesson here is not to blindly air-recover just you can. If
you air-recover, you can be hit again instead of simply dropping
to the floor. If you've been hit by two moves while your back is
to the wall, don't try to air-recover anymore. This is
particularly true against characters with anti-air specials such
as the Shotos.
Lesson #8 -- Combos
Put the previous lessons together and we've got the combos section.
Written below are some of Rose' more useful combos. These are not all
of her combos (that'll take way too much space). Some of them may
look pathetic, but not all games are won by big combos.
Easier-than-dirt Combos
Jump-in RK -> crouching RK
- Not only easy, but useful, too. This combo will reach out
quite far. Never be ashamed of doing a two-hit no-brainer.
[crouching JP] repeat * 3
- easy links = easy combos. I use this against the likes of
Zangief if I get cornered.
Easy Combos
crouching JP/SK -> crouching FK -> SK Soul Spiral
- I use this to punish mistakes (and don't have a charge in
my Super Combo meter).
crouching SP/FK -> SK Soul Spiral
- This may look like the previous combo, but this is one I
use when I'm poking (which is more common situation than
punishing mistakes). Since I like to poke with the
crouching SP, cancelling it into an SK Soul Spiral
whenever it hits seemed logical.
This may look like
Jump-in FK -> crouching SP/FK -> SK Soul Spiral
- An easy, relatively low-risk three hitter.
Moderate Combos
Jump-in FP -> crouching FP -> level 3 Aura Soul Throw/RK Soul
Spiral
- The hardest part here is to range the crouching FP.
Sometimes it misses entirely if you hit too early or too
deep with the jump-in FP. You can try replacing the
crouching FP with a crouching SP/FK. Truth is, any combo
involving the FP automatically becomes a "moderate"
difficulty combo.
(opponent in the air) crouching FP -> Soul Throw
- A "flipped juggle". Extremely useful, and will often scare
opponents from jumping again. Can be flipped out from, but
I haven't seen it happen. The Soul Throw can be replaced
with a Level 1/2 Aura Soul throw and make this a "true
juggle".
Here are the fancy combos -- good damage and look great, but don't
expect to land them often.
level 1 Soul Illusion -> level 2 Aura Soul Spark
- Pretty easy to do (but hard to set up). Lots of hits, but
not that damaging.
level 1 Soul Illusion -> cross-up RK/jump-in SK -> crouching FP
-> RK Soul Spiral
- This is an example of a ordinary three-step combo (jump
attack -> ground attack -> Special) that can benefit
greatly from Soul Illusion being active. Unfortunately,
activating Soul Illusion also makes such combos harder to
do, since all those extra hits tend to push Rose farther
away faster (therefore making the rest of the combo hard
to connect with).
cross-up FK -> crouching JP -> crouching JP -> crouching JP ->
level 3 Aura Soul Throw
- An example of doing multiple links to a cancel. This
is harder than it's worth.
jump-in FP -> crouching FK -> FP Soul Reflect -> level 3 Aura
Soul Throw
- Works best in corners. This is an example of taking
advantage of the Soul Reflect's effect of jerking an
opponent upwards. You can sneak in an attack (such as
crouching SP) prior to the Aura Soul Throw.
jump-in RK -> crouching SP -> FP Soul Reflect -> crouching SP ->
level 1 Soul Illusion -> level 2 Aura Soul Throw
- This is from Greg Dawson's document. I've never landed it
against a live opponent.
Here are the three VC's that I know of.
(activate VC) -> [SP/FP Soul Reflect -> whiff Slide] repeat
- Can be used from almost anywhere, but it's _very_ hard and
lousy damage. Once you reach the corner, use the next one.
(activate VC JP+SK) -> [SP Soul Reflect] repeat
- A corner only juggle. Not as hard as the first one, but
still harder than VC's of other characters.
(activate VC JP+SK) -> [Slide -> JP Soul Spark] repeat
- A picked this up from Gamest Magazine, where they said it
can be used against Birdie and Dhalsim. I have yet to do
either consistently.
What I've listed for the VC are only the repetive, juggling parts of
the VC. You can do an jump-attack first, then when you land do the VC.
Lesson #9 -- The poking game
Poking means doing an attack, even if it's not a sure hit. What's the
rationale ? The attack might hit anyway. And if it hits, combo away. If
it's blocked, no loss -- his Guard Meter just dropped a few more
points. If your opponent over-reacts and does a slow move, close in a
combo.
Lesson #9.1 -- Poking Generalities; the "footsie"; faking
So, how do you poke successfully ? First, you have to be
solidly familiar with Rose' range, particularly her crouching FK.
Second, you also have to be familiar with the ranges of your
opponent's attacks. Keep in mind that when poking, it's best to
stay at the farthest range possible -- take full advantage of
Rose' superior range.
Walk forward and backward, weaving in and out, but never going
close enough for your opponent to hit you (which is why you have
to be familiar with his attack range -- it won't do you any good
to walk into a sweep). This is often called the "footsie".
Check if your opponent is also playing footsie. If he is, then
you can assure yourself that he is, at the very least, a
moderately skilled player. Remember: stay out of his attack
range -- don't make the mistake of pushing the joystick forward
while your opponent also walks forward. Note: not all characters
can play footsie, particularly Charlie and other charge
characters. Note: nearly all V-ism characters _will_ play
footsie, even if they are charge characters -- since VC
activation is button press, V-ism characters will try to manuever
you into making a mistake before unleashing a VC.
Personal note: Not all good players play footsie, so never assume
that a player just crouch-blocking there is an amateur -- this
can prove to be fatal. I consider myself an excellent player, but
I'm not the type who waggles the stick back and forth, trying to
confuse my opponent (I'm quite lazy). In fact, I get a laugh out
of those playing excessive footsie. I let them weave as if
they're having an epileptic attack, then crush them the moment
they make a mistake.
Avoid corners. It's easy to find yourself slowly backing into a
corner when playing footsie. Being cornered cuts your defensive
options severely, plus there are a lot of VCs that are
corner-specific. Conversely, don't go out of your way to corner
your opponent. While cornering him cuts down _his_ defensive
options, Rose lacks the moves to maintain a corner lock for very
long.
Do quick attacks (such as standing JP) that you _know_ will miss.
This is in the hopes that your opponent will over-react and do
something stupid. For example, amateur ARK players are prone to
doing a dragon punch the moment they see an attack coming.
Sometimes even expert players over-react and activate a VC even
when they're too far away to use it. Watch for this and punish
their mistake with a vicious combo. If you're feeling confident,
you can even use slower attacks and intentionally miss. An
example is Rose' <far> standing FK. As with quick attacks, your
aim is to make your opponent over-react.
Now we go to the meat of poking: hitting your opponent. Instead
of weaving forward and backward, walk into Rose' attack range and
do an attack such as her crouching SP or crouching FK. Your goal
here is to hit your opponent while maintaining enough distance so
that he can't counter-attack or he simply blocks. The dangers
here is if your opponent reacts with a high-priority move (such
as a Dragon Punch). The solution to this is to be unpredictable,
which is the very reason why you should try to fake your opponent
out (see previous paragraph). One thing I really love about Rose
is that her moves that are used to poke can cancel into her
Specials and Supers Combos. If your poke is blocked, cancel into
a Soul Spark. If the poke hits, cancel into a Soul Spiral (or a
Super Combo).
Lesson #9.2 -- The Soul Spark poke
Some people will argue the value of projectiles in poking. IMHO,
Rose should keep using the Soul Spark down to a minimum and not
toss it out like the Shotos would -- she lacks the anti-air to
keep a Soul Spark trap.
However, the Soul Spark can do something most projectile moves
can't -- it pushes an opponent very far out. Rose can use it at
close range without fear of the opponent blocking and
counter-attacking (provided they aren't already in a corner, of
course). The FP version will push an opponent a half-screen away,
and is very useful if you find yourself in a corner.
The following are special poking situations.
Lesson #9.3 -- "Creeping Rose"
Move forward a bit, then do a crouching SP. Rose' crouching SP
has enough priority, speed and range so that it will stop almost
any move that it meets head on.
I called it "Creeping Rose" because I use it to gain ground
slowly -- particularly if my opponent is trying to push me into a
corner. It's useful against a turtling opponent already in a
corner, just make sure you don't get _too_ close. Originally, I
used this tactic against Dhalsim, but it can also be used against
opponents such as the Shoto's (only the crouching RK will cleanly
beat Rose' crouching SP), Adon, and Chun-li, Zangief, and others.
I know it doesn't work well against Honda or Blanka.
If the crouching SP hits cancel to a SK Soul Spiral.
Lesson #9.4 -- Kicking their feet right under them
When faced with low-priority characters, such as Charlie, or
those trying to poke back (such as the Shotos using their
crouching FK), or those without projectiles (such as Zangief) use
the crouching FK. Rose crouching FK has much longer range than he
crouching SP, but it seems it also has lower priority. The best
use for the crouching FK is to hit your opponent's legs if he
tries to poke at Rose. In this situation, Rose will cleanly beat
a lot of characters.
Lesson #9.5 -- "Frozen Rose"
Here's the situation: Rose has been knocked down, and your
opponent jumps in the air in order to a cross-up or a deep attack
as she gets up. Rose lacks an invulnerable anti-air against
such attacks (other than her level 2 Aura Soul Throw), and you
are forced to block the aerial attack.
Immediately after blocking, do a couple of crouching JPs.
This works wonders even against the best players. If your
opponent pulled off a perfect aerial attack, Rose will be trapped
in her blocking animation (her blocktun) -- she won't punch
despite your button press but won't trade hits either. If your
opponent mistimed his attack or he's planning to throw, then
he'll eat the JPs. Due to the crouching JP' speed, range and
priority, doing it right after blocking will stop a lot of
attacks -- nearly all Regular Moves and even Super Combos like
Akuma/Ryu's Super Combo Fireball or Zangief's Final Atomic
Buster (but not a Dragon Punch -- use a bit of common sense). You
should then link to stronger attacks, such as crouching FK then
cancel into a SK Soul Spiral.
Lesson #9.6 -- The "Neutral Zone"
This is a tactic that is most useful when playing Dhalsim, but
sometimes Rose, with her long-ranged attacks, can sometimes make
use of it, too.
When a character is about to land from a jump (his feet are a few
pixel off the ground), any attack he makes simply won't come out
-- at this height, aerial attacks can no longer be used and it's
too early to use standing or crouching moves. I call this height
the "Neutral Zone".
When an opponent jumps in from a distance where it's too far him
to hit you with his jumping attacks, do a crouching RK _right
before_ he touches the ground. Your opponent will be forced to
block, and the crouching RK will take a healthy chunk off his
Guard Meter. You can always wait for your opponent to touch the
ground, but attacking while he's in the "Neutral Zone" ensures
that he won't be able to counter-attack or jump again. Also,
he'll be pushed back. Remember: you're goal is not to inflict
damage, but to poke safely and wear away at the Guard Meter.
BTW, this is one of the few uses of the crouching RK as a poke.
This is a very slow recovering move, and shouldn't be used to
poke in general.
================
Rose Vs. Tactics
================
*** Vs. Strategies ***
These are strategies that I've come up from personal experience. No, I
haven't won a major SFZ3 tournament, but these tactics have worked for me.
Some of the tactics presented seem... "turtly" and cheap. Let me point out
that these tactics are for winning (as far as I can tell) and not casual
play. Also, these tactics all assume Z-ism Rose (which, as I've pointed
out, is her best -ism).
The "Threat" entry comprises several things. First, it's a measure on how
strong that character is in general. Second, how powerful is that
character against Rose (Adon, usually ranked somewhere in the middle tier,
can pose problems to Rose, thus his "moderate to high" rating; Dhalsim, on
the other hand, is a one of the best characters in SFZ3, but may have a
hard time when facing Rose, thus his "moderate to high" rating instead of
just "high"). Third, it's an indirect measure of how good your opponent is
in general (for example, Z/V-ism Balrog is next to useless against Rose,
thus he should have a "low" threat rating, but X-ism Balrog can actually
give Rose a headache -- something only an experienced player will know how
to do, thus the "moderate" rating; another example: Akuma is pretty
powerful -- the whole range of players use him, from beginners to experts,
thus I gave him a "low to high" threat).
The "Common -ism" entry represents which -ism players mostly choose for
that character. Most of the time, it's Z-ism. Players who choose other
-isms are likely those who are fooling around, expert players, or both.
I've also included which -ism is more powerful, in my opinion, for that
character.
Most characters have a "Moves of note" entry. This is by no means a
complete list of that character's moves, but simply what moves are
effective (therefore more used) when facing Rose.
I have no entries for the PSX characters Fei Long, Guile, and T. Hawk, Evil
Ryu and Shin Akuma. Since they aren't in the arcades (and therefore I'll
never meet a challenger playing these characters), I can't comment on their
gameplay.
* Rose Vs. Adon *
Threat
- moderate to high
Common -ism
- Z (while a good Adon player will likely use any, I'm not
impressed with V)
Moves of note
- jumping FK (Adon does a horizontal aeril kick; this is his
aerial attack of choice; fast; good priority; can cross-up)
- Jaguar Crunch (top-down rushing elbow attack)
- Rising Jaguar (double knee to the air; extremely high priority)
- Jaguar Tooth (Adon bounces off the screen then heads toward the
opponent foot first)
- Jaguar Kick (reverse somersault; low priority, but tricky in
X-ism)
- Jaguar Varied Assault (several elbows to rising knee or
several elbows to rapid punches)
Rose and Adon have roughly equal priorities on their basic moves.
Adon's specials, however, are extremely powerful against Rose.
Tip #1 -- Assessing Adon
A good Adon player will only jump in the following situations: when
you've done a Soul Spark or a crouching RK, and as a cross-up (usually
after Rose has been knocked down). Adon has his Jaguar Tooth and Kick
to get him in the air, so it's unlikely that he'll jump just to gain
ground, and a good player will never do a blind jump-in attack.
Tip #1.1 -- The Soul Spark
Use the Soul Spark only in combos. Remember: Adon can cross the
screen very easily, so throwing him a Soul Spark blindly is an
invitation to be hit.
An Adon player who isn't familiar with your playing style (like
someone you've never met before) will likely jump back as soon as the
round starts. Watch carefully for the jump. If he jumps back, throw
him a Soul Spark so that he'll land on it. If he jumps upward, nail
him with a level 3 Aura Soul Throw. Note: this may not work with X-ism
Adon, who can simply Jaguar Kick over your attack.
Tip #2 -- How Adon plays
Adon has two basic methods of fighting.
a) Adon Turtle. Adon inflicts a little damage, then stays away from
his opponent. He then uses the Rising Jaguar against jumping
opponents and the Jaguar Tooth against fireballs.
b) Aggresive Adon. Since Adon has high-priority moves covering many
ranges, aggressive players will likely poke at their opponents. Sample
Adon pattern: cross-up FK -> crouching JP -> crouching SK ->
crouching FK -> standing RK. At farther distances, the Jaguar Tooth
and Jaguar Kick come into play, particularly against defensive
opponents. Agressive Adon players will often go for guard breaks. They
will almost never jump except as a cross up or when you miss a Soul
Spark.
The first type is the most commonly met by Rose.
Tip #2.2 -- Dealing with Adon Turtling
Familiarize yourself with the range of the Jaguar Varied Assault
-- find out what is the closest range Rose can throw a Soul Spark
without being nailed by it. After you've learned this range,
watch Adon's stance. If he's crouch-blocking, throw Souls Sparks
at him, randomly alternating between JP and FP versions. If he's
stand-blocking, start poking. Why is it that I recommend
fireballing crouch-blockers ? I've noticed that turtlers
crouch-blocking can't react fast enough to jump over a fireball
(but can do a Jaguar Varied Assault -- go figure). If Adon is
standing, however, he's keeping his hands loose in order to jump
or to do a Special, but not to defend.
Poke at Adon with crouching FK (remember: hit with the tip of
Rose foot) and crouching SP (this is for defensive reasons, just
in case Adon sticks a foot out). If Adon blocks the crouching FK,
cancel into Soul Spark. If you have a full Super Combo meter, you
can try to cancel your poke into a SK Soul Spiral (and if Adon
tries to retaliate after the the Soul Spark hit him with a level
3 Aura Soul Throw).
Tip #3 -- Dealing with the Rising Jaguar; stay grounded
Adon's Rising Jaguar is worse than the dragon punches (against Rose
anyway). It will out-prioritize all of Rose' aerial moves and has
excellent range against aerial opponents. Plus, because Adon has no
move with a very poor recovery time other than his Super Combos, he is
rarely open to an aerial attack. Keep close to the ground, preferably
crouching, because the Rising Jaguar has difficulty against crouching
opponents and the Jaguar Crunch is rather predictable.
Remember: if the Rising Jaguar hits Rose while her back is against a
corner, recover in the air and stick out a FP/FK to discourage
juggles and aerial throws.
Poke at Adon. While Adon may also get into the poking game, Rose is at
a slight advantage because she can combo into a Soul Spark/Spiral.
Pattern: crouching FK -> JP Soul Spark/SK Soul Spiral. Remember:
distance the Soul Spiral so that only the tip of Rose' fist touches
Adon.
Tip #4 -- Dealing with the Jaguar Tooth
This move is insanely fast, will go over Rose' Soul Spark, can cross
the entire screen, must be blocked standing, and has excellent
recovery. IMHO, it's an absolutely imbalanced move against certain
characters. Rose' defenses against this move include a level 2/3
Aura Soul Throw, blocking, jumping, or getting nearer.
If you choose to block the Jaguar Tooth, don't count on being able to
counter-attack as Adon recovers. Unless your opponent makes a mistake,
Adon will likely recover a little distance away from Rose' attacks.
I suggest blocking, then doing a crouching FK -> JP Soul Spiral/SK
Soul Spark. Unfortunately, this combo isn't too effective either. If
Rose is too far away to deliver a combo, don't be tempted to stand and
get closer, or you'll probably end up eating a Rising Jaguar or RK.
Since the Aura Soul Throw can only be used a couple of times at best
and continously blocking is bad for the guard meter, "turtling" by
jumping back and air blocking seems to be a viable strategy. You can
try sticking a FK as you jump, but if your opponent is quick you'll be
hit by a Rising Jaguar, or Rose' leg might be caught by the Tooth.
Jumping straight up then sticking out FK can also be tried, but the
timing is slightly harder.
I've found that the best way of dealing with the Jaguar Tooth is to
get closer, between the range of Rose' crouching SP and crouching RK,
preferably slightly off-midscreen but not in a corner. This is the
range an Adon player will most likely make a mistake in picking the
angle for the Jaguar Tooth. The RK Jaguar Tooth be blocked rather
easily, leaving Adon close enough to attack. The SK/FK Jaguar Tooth
sometimes misses Rose completely, making Adon recover within
range of her crouching FK.
Tip #5 -- Dealing with the Jaguar Kick and Jaguar Revolver
This is a good time to hurt Adon. The Jaguar Kick and Jaguar Revolver
have very low priority, despite what they look. If Adon tries a Jaguar
Kick/Revolver, try trade hits with a FK (if Rose is in the air) or
crouching FP (if Rose is on the ground) then combo.
Some Adon players try to chase recovering or jumping opponents in the
air with the Jaguar Kick/Revolver. Remember: always stick out FK when
recovering in the air or jumping back.
Note: All of X-ism Adon's aerial kicks become Jaguar Kicks. It looks
as if he's jumping twice in mid-air. The recovery and range are
greatly improved, and can easily go over Rose' Soul Spark. Remember:
the Jaguar Kick has low priority -- when facing X-ism Adon who relies
too much on this move try jumping in the air and meeting him with a
FK. Also, watch out for Adon jumping backwards for no apparent reason.
He may be baiting you into a Jaguar Kick, which will lunge Adon's foot
towards Rose even as he's jumping back. If the Jaguar Kick has such
low priority, why not hit Adon with a crouching FP ? The problem with
X-ism Adon's Jaguar Kick is the "double jump" effect it does. Rose'
crouching FP might miss completely and Adon will land right behind her
(then combo).
Tip #6 -- The Jaguar Varied Assault sucks/is the best move in the
world
The Jaguar Varied Assault looks cool, but it deals very little damage
if you're familiar with damage reduction. The recovery is also very
slow. Add the fact that few of Adon's moves will combo into the
Jaguar Varied Assault, makes it a truly poor move. However, the
starting animation of the Jaguar Varied Assault is practically
invulnerable and has _very long_ range, making it a nasty surprise
move.
In my experience, the Jaguar Varied Assault seems to be most effective
against Rose in two situations:
a) Rose' Guard Meter and/or life bar nearly depleted. In this
situation, Adon players use the level 3 rapid punch version of the
Jaguar Varied Assault in order to finish her off.
b) Rose does a fireball at close to medium range. Adon can react to
any fireball with the Jaguar Varied Assault and nail his opponent.
The first situation is where a Zero Counter might be useful. The
second can be handled by simply refraining from throwing too many
Soul Sparks at close range (see tip #1).
If Adon attempts a level 1/2 Jaguar Varied Assault and misses, chances
are he'll land behind Rose. Most players fail to take advantage of a
blocked Jaguar Varied Assault. They often wait for Adon to come to the
ground before trying to counter-attack or throw. Rose has a better
option: before Adon lands do a standing JP -> Soul Throw.
Remember: the level 3 Jaguar Varied Assault is a multi-hit move, and
it is therefore easy to do damage reduction. Remember: if Rose is hit
the Jaguar Varied Assault while in a corner recover in the air and
stick out a FP/RK to discourage aerial juggles and throws.
Tip #6 -- Adon in the air; when to use the Aura Soul Throw
When Adon jumps, you can expect him to use the FK. All his other
aerial attacks are either angled strangely or have unusual timing.
If Rose is in the air, most of her attacks will trade hits with it, so
don't sweat it. If you like to show off, you can trade hits with it
using jumping FP, which inflicts more damage.
If Rose in on the ground, watch out. Rose' Soul Throw will be snuffed
by Adon's jumping FK. Rose' crouching FP, however, will sometimes
trade hits or even snuff Adon out, provided Rose hits Adon high in his
jump. If Rose' crouching FP connects, immediately follow with a Soul
Throw to catch Adon while he's in the air. If Adon is already on his
way down, use either a level 2 Aura Soul Throw or simply block the
attack.
Adon's jumping FK is also used as a cross-up, in which Rose must
block. None of her attacks, even the Aura Soul Throw, will stop Adon's
cross-up jumping FK. Wait out Adon's combo. Just make sure that, next
time, you won't be placed in such a situation again.
Occasionally, Adon will use the SK when jumping. His jumping SK has
slightly better priority and speed than his jumping FK, but has much
lower damage and hit area. The most common use of Adon's jumping SK is
if he's trying to a) out-prioritize an aerial opponent or b) luring
his opponent to do a crouching FP (which the Adon's jumping can beat
cleanly at certain angles). Rose isn't that vulnerable to the first
situation. If your opponent likes his jumping SK then meet him in the
air with a jumping FP and deal more damage in the exchange. In the
second situation, catch Adon with a level 1/2 Aura Soul Throw, or
block the knee then throw him, or even gamble with Rose' crouching FP
(since it inflicts way more damage).
In closing:
Rose has a slight advantage over Adon, but because he has no move that
leaves him vulnerable for a good length of time he can give her an
extremely bad day. Fight Adon at close range as it helps avoid
being plastered by the Jaguar Tooth and facilitates poking.
* Rose Vs. Akuma (Gouki in Japan)/Ryu/Ken ("ARK" or "Shotos") *
Threat
- low to high (ARK players display a wide variety of skills)
Common -ism
- Z for moderate players, V for advanced
Moves of note
- jumping FK (Ken's oddly-angled, longest-ranged aerial kick)
- jumping FP/RK (tons of priority)
- crouching FK (a low, long-ranged kick used a poke and in
combos)
- crouching RK (short ranged, low kick; good damage; causes
knockdown; slow recovery; insane priority)
- Sakostu-wari (downward chop/fist; must be blocked standing;
Akuma/Ryu only)
- Inazuma-kakato-wari (slow axe-kick; must be blocked standing;
Ken only)
- Fireball (flaming projectile; you _should_ know what it looks
like)
- Hurricane kick (Akuma hits initially hit low and juggles; Ken
fast but weak)
- Dragon Punch (Ryu hits once; Akuma/Ken up to 3x)
- Sempuu-kyaku (hopping kick; looks like a half-baked Hurricane
kick; Akuma/Ryu only; used to corner opponents)
- Tenma-kujinkyakuu (diving kick; Akuma only; hard to stop)
- Hyakki ??? (the "Demon Flip" where Akuma jumps a distance
forward with a flip followed by a kick, a roll, a throw, or a
punch; used mainly in combos, but may also be used against
unprepared players on its own)
There are more ARK players out there than all of the other characters
put together. Consistently beat him, and you'll run out of opponents
(mwa-ha-ha!). Kidding aside, ARK can be very tough (and Akuma is
consistenly ranked #1), but I believe Rose can give him a run for his
money.
Tip #1 -- Stay just within Rose' crouching RK range
This is Rose' standoff range against ARK players. Basically, all of
her attacks (except the crouching RK) should be out of range. All of
ARK's attacks will also be out of range. Rose is at an advantage.
Now wait for his next move.
If he Fireballs, do a JP Soul Reflect to charge up. If Rose is charged
up, do a FP Soul Reflect to reflect the Fireball upwards. Why not a
SP Soul Reflect ? The SP Soul Reflect causes the Fireball to return
horizontally, which may frustrate your opponent and cause him to stop
throwing Fireballs altogether, which is not a good thing. Besides, the
returning fireball is pretty slow and won't catch your opponent at
all. Also, if you return the Fireball upwards, there's a chance he'll
take a risk at walking forwards, which is advantageous to Rose.
Finally, Rose' anti-air moves are poor against ARK if he jumps and
attacks at this range. Reflecting a Fireball upwards discourages
jumping.
Look for a Fireball "pattern", meaning that you should look for
indications of when your opponent will Fireball. If you can predict
when he'll throw a Fireball, jump-in with a combo. For a truly
humbling experience, you can even try a level 3 Aura Soul Throw
through a Fireball or Akuma/Ryu's Super Combo Fireball.
Watch out for players who use FP Fireball, which is hard to react to
in time. If you're in the standoff range then suddenly ARK Fireballs,
you can count on it being a fast one. Most players react by jumping at
ARK, hoping to combo him. It's possible, but at this range the FP
Fireball can snag Rose as she starts to jump and a slow Fireball is a
trap for a Dragon Punch. If you think you can't do the Soul Reflect
fast enough then just block then walk a bit toward ARK to regain
distance. You may want to stick out a crouching SP/FK.
Tip #1.1 -- Akuma fireballing outside stand-off range; pre-Zero
strategies
If you are outside the standoff range (the farther the worse)
watch out if Akuma throws a fireball. He may try to follow it up
with one of the Hyakki moves, particularly the air-throw version.
Because of the ability to air-block in the Zero series, a lot of
players have forgotten how to simply jump up to avoid a fireball.
This is a lesson that must be relearned when fighting Akuma. If
Rose and Akuma are distant from one another (at a distance too
far away for a jump-in attack or a dragon punch anti-air), do not
wait for the fireball to come closer then try to jump forward
over it. This is a mistake I see with a lot of novice players.
They end up getting nailed mid-air by a Hyakki move. Instead of
jumping forward over the fireball, simply jump straight up an let
it pass under you. If Akuma attempts a Hyakki move anyway, use
Rose FP/SK as you jump. The FP has an initial animation that
covers Rose' head, while the SK is simply a high-priority move.
Of course, you can always to reflect the fireball. As stated
earlier, reflect upwards, as this will frustrate any Hyakki move
Akuma may still attempt.
See also Tip #6.1.
If ARK pokes Rose with crouching FK/RK (which will miss at this
range), respond with a crouching RK or level 3 Aura Soul Throw (if
you're fast enough). Why on earth ARK players love to weave in and out
then stick out an attack that will surely miss is beyond me.
If he walks back, follow by walking, but don't close in. Keep the
standoff distance, because an ARK player walking back is either luring
you into a crouching RK or wants to throw Fireballs at a safe
distance. If he jumps back, follow with a jumping FK (which has higher
priority than their jumping attacks).
If ARK moves towards you, he'll almost certainly try to do a favorite
ARK tactic (crouching SK -> crouching FK -> Fireball). As soon as you
see him move respond with a crouching SP/FK -> JP Soul Spark. The
farther Rose is from ARK, the higher the priority of her attacks (this
is exactly the reason why you should stay just within RK range). And
don't worry about ARK Dragon Punching Rose' foot (a ridiculous concept
in all the SF games that, thankfully, is not as effective in SFZ3).
Watch out for the Sempuu-kyaku (see tip #6).
If he jumps toward you or does a jumping Hurricane kick, judge the
distance at which he'll land. If he'll land some distance in front or
behind you wait until he's coming down (at about the height of Rose'
head) then pull off a level 3 Aura Soul Throw (ouch!). If you're fast
enough, you can also try the level 3 Aura Soul Throw as soon as ARK's
feet leave the ground. If he'll land in somewhere near you, you can do
one of these things:
a) jump and meet him in the air with a FP/SK/FK (only if you're quick
enough and he's not Ken/Akuma doing a jumping Hurricane)
b) do a Soul Throw (possible, classy, but risky because ARK's jumping
FP/RK has tons more priority than the Soul Throw)
c) do a level 1 or level 2 Aura Soul Throw (not recommended, see tip
#3)
d) block (recommended, but gives him a temporary advantage)
e) walk a bit forward so that he'll land right on top of you (tricky,
classy, see below)
f) resist the urge to use the crouching RK when ARK tries a jumping
Hurricane; it will probably miss, leaving you open
If he'll land right on top of you, do a crouching FP -> Soul Throw
(see tip #4).
Almost without an exception, ARK players use the FP/RK when jumping
(see tip #4). These two moves have good priority against Rose if
they're angled in such a way that only the tip of ARK's hand/foot hits
Rose. If you're forced to block, don't sweat it. Follow "Frozen Rose".
Tip #2 -- Keep combos simple
Don't be ashamed of using simple combos like a plain jump-in RK ->
crouching RK. The thing with ARK is that they are combo machines
capable of dealing massive damage if you make a mistake, and believe
me, Rose' combos are sometimes tricky, leaving her open to
counter-attack. Chip away at their life with two- or three- hit combos
that let you recover at a safe distance if you screw up. Save
devastating combos like the jumping FP -> crouching FP -> RK Soul
Spiral/level 3 Aura Soul Throw when you're _absolutely_ sure you won't
mess up.
Tip #3 -- Keep you Super Combo meter full
Don't squander you Super Combo meter on moves other than a level 3
Aura Soul Throw. This is by far her best Super Combo, especially
against ARK, who present a lot of opportunities to be hit with it. The
other Super Combos aren't worth the damage.
Tip #4 -- The crouching FP -> Soul Throw works wonders (except against
cross-ups and mid-distance jumping RK)
This is a really classy move I love. If ARK is on top of Rose do a
crouching FP, quickly followed by a Soul Throw, which will catch them
even as they recover. Rose' crouching FP works best when the opponent
is directly above you. ARK players, however, won't indulge you. They
will often approach from the air in two angles: as a cross-up or with
only their foot/fist making contact with their oppenent's head. At
these angles you shouldn't even try the crouching FP. Follow "frozen
Rose".
Alternatively, you can try a standing FP, which has better horizontal
range than vertical (as opposed to the crouching FP) into a Soul
Throw. Do this a couple of times and watch your opponent curse.
Normally, the standing FP doesn't combo into a Soul Throw, but it will
do so if you opponent came in from the air.
Tip #5 -- He's too close for comfort.
ARK is in front of your face, about to unleash a high-low game with
their Sakostu-wari/Inazuma-kakato-wari, SK/FK, Fireballs, etc. Or
maybe you've tripped to the ground, and he's standing in front of you,
cooking up his next move.
Jab. That's right. Do a crouching JP if he's too close. The JP has
insane priority at this range and will stop whatever he's currently
doing, be it those Sakotsu-wari, Ryu/Akuma's irritating sempuu-kyaku,
or Ken's various kicks.
But what if ARK's plan is to wait for your move, then blast you
with a Super Combo ? That's ok. Unless your opponent has impeccable
timing, trying a Super Combo as Rose jabs is futile. The JP has a good
recovery time and you'll be able to block whatever Super Combo they're
thinking of. In fact, the only thing that can consistently stop Rose'
crouching JP is a Dragon Punch (which will stop almost anything
anyway) and Akuma/Ken's Super Combo Dragon Punch (and even then Rose
can still block after the first two hits).
Tip #5.1 -- What Rose' crouching JP won't stop
ARK's crouching FK is difficult to stop with the crouching JP
(you can't expect it to do everything for you). This is why I
recommend that the standoff range be as far out as Rose' kicks
will allow.
Tip #6 -- Specific Akuma/Ryu Tips
As mentioned in tip #5, the Sempuu-kyaku is indeed irritating. A
favorite trap tactic employed by Akuma/Ryu is Sempuu-kyaku ->
crouching FK -> Fireball. He'll mix it up with a SK Hurricane kick
(which in Akuma's case, is rather deadly because the first hit of
Akuma's Hurricane hits low and juggles) to regain distance if he's
pushed back too far. Most of Rose' kicks are useless, since they will
go under the Hurricane and the Sempuu-kyaku plus Akuma/Ryu's recovery
times from these moves is quite good.
Rose has two options. The first is to use her crouching FP against the
Hurricane kick. I don't recommend this, as Akuma/Ryu often lands a
short distance in front of Rose, making her miss completely. The
second option, crouching JP, works better in this situation. Wait
until Akuma/Ryu does a Hurricane kick. Then do crouching JP as they
spin. The JP will mostly miss, but as Akuma/Ryu stops spinning a JP
will hit them before they touch the ground (alternatively, once you
get the timing of the Hurricane kick better, you can use a crouching
SP instead). The crouching JP/SP will cause Akuma/Ryu to jerk
backwards in mid-air. Immediately follow up with a level 3 Aura Soul
Throw. If Akuma/Ryu manages to block the JP (which is only possible if
they started too far away), combo into a crouching FK -> Soul Spark to
push them back.
The Sempuu-kyaku, unlike the Hurricane kick, is harder to deal with.
Although Rose' crouching JP still has higher priority, there's a
certain range that will always make Akuma/Ryu win in the exchange --
if the Sempuu-kyaku hits Rose' face at its peak. Akuma/Ryu will often
Sempuu-kyaku ay a range that will make it hit with only the tip of
their foot, which is not the range that I mentioned, so use the
crouching JP anyway. Once the JP hits, _do not_ follow up with a level
3 Aura Soul Throw. Chances are that Akuma/Ryu will be able to land and
block it.
Tip #6.1 -- The Tenma-kujinkyakuu ("dive-kick")
Akuma is deadly with the Tenma-kujinkyakuu. This, I believe, is
what pushes him well over Ryu and Ken. It's fast, has nearly
unmatched priority, and quite easily combo'd from. Done properly,
Rose has no defense against this, unless you're the type who can
do a level 2/3 Aura Soul Throw very quickly. Why did CAPCOM give
a character a Command Move that only a Super Combo can stop ?
Akuma's dive-kick is used in this pattern: jump forward ->
dive-kick -> crouching JP -> crouching SK -> fireball -> <pause
to see what you'll do> -> dragon punch if you try anything or
repeat the pattern if you're turtling. This pattern is mixed up
with his Hurricane/sempu-kyaku/crouching FK/sakostu-wari.
Aside from the level 2/3 Aura Soul throw (which you can do on the
average once per round), there is only one defense against the
dive kick. You have to learn the patterns by heart, and know to
anticipate when Akuma will jump. Remember: once the dive-kick
starts, you can barely stop it. You have to learn jump the moment
Akuma jumps in order to pin him while both of you are in the air.
If you are having difficulty stopping Akuma in the air, you can
opt to simply block the dive-kick then immediately jab afterward
("Frozen Rose"). If your opponent made a mistake in his timing
then he'll eat the jab (giving you a breather).
One of the most common mistakes I see people make when playing
against a dive-kick trap is to jump away from Akuma's fireball.
Forget it. If Akuma tosses you a fireball (cancelled from a
crouching SK/FK/sempu-kyaku), there is no way to jump away --
you'll only end up getting hit.
Tip #6.2 -- When and how to air-recover (Z-ism Akuma)
If you've been hit by a Dragon Punch you have to carefully watch
Akuma and Ryu's next move.
First, check if Rose will hit the wall as she falls (ie. she was
hit by the Dragon Punch while near a corner). If this is the
case, _immediately_ air-recover (preferrably the forward version,
just remember to block).
If Rose was hit while mid-screen, do _not_ immdiately air-
recover. You have to wait for what Akuma will do next. Some
players will try to Super Combo Fireball as you fall. Air-recover
as _late_ as you can and use the forward version. If Akuma tries
a Hyakii move, air-recover immediately (back version) then do a
FP.
Tip #7 -- Ken can 'cane (Akuma too)
Ken's version of the Hurricane kick spins much faster than Ryu's, and
has slightly different applications.
The first can be seen with Ken players fooling around with the
computer -- SK hurricane kick to Dragon Punch. This works well because
the timing of Ken's SK Hurricane is hard to predict, plus most players
respond to the Hurricane with a crouching FK (duh!). Alternatively,
Ken players try SK Hurricane to throw, particularly if their opponent
is turtling.
The second application of Ken's Hurricane is similar to Akuma/Ryu's,
which is SK Hurricane -> crouching FK -> Fireball. This isn't a very
effective, but Ken players use it as part of pressure tactics.
The final application of Ken's Hurricane is a replacement to his
regular aerial attacks. In the air, Ken's Hurricane has extremely high
priority, can combo if timed properly, and is difficult to judge where
it will land. Ken players, both good and bad, toy around with his
aerial Hurricane in the hopes that it will confuse their opponents. If
you see Ken doing an aerial Hurricane, take a look at when he started
spinning. If he started the aerial Hurricane before or at the apex of
his jump, he's trying to land behind you and luring you to do a
crouching RK. Most Rose players become overconfident with her
crouching RK and try to use it as Ken lands. This _does not_ work.
Ken has fast recovery time from the aerial Hurricane and the crouching
RK will likely miss, leaving her open to attack. If Ken started the
aerial Hurricane right after the apex of his jump or while he's coming
down, then he's tring to do a combo. His legs have insane priority
and Rose has almost no defense against this except to block.
Lesson: Learn to play Ken, if only to master the range of his
Hurricane kick.
Note: Not everyone who's using the jumping Hurricane know what they're
doing. Some of them are newbies hoping to capitalize on a powerful
attack, whose classic symptom is doing the jumping Hurricane
aimlessly. Don't be intimidated. Make them pay for using abilities
beyond beyond their understanding (mwa-ha-ha!)
Tip #7 -- You've hit ARK and he's sailing in the air...
If your opponent is good never follow him after he recovers in the
air. Whenever ARK recovers in the air, the priority of his moves
increase dramatically, and nothing in Rose' arsenal except an Aura
Soul Throw will hit him. There aren't many ARK players who realize
this. Most of them will jam the controls in an effort to air recover
(especially if they've been hit by tip #4), then air block until their
feet touch the ground. There are players, however, that have the wits
to air recover and then stick out a FP/RK as they are falling. As I've
said, the priority of their moves increases, so don't even think of
trading hits. Akuma is even more dangerous, as he can do the
Tenma-gou-zankuu (super air Fireball) after an air recovery.
Tip #8 -- "What ?! The jumping SK beats the Dragon Punch ?!"
Probably not, but its been a year since I've seen ARK players use the
Dragon Punch effectively as "wake-up" move against Rose. The best way
to get the timing of the jumping SK is to jump at ARK as he's getting
up from the ground. Aim at ARK's head, not his chest like people
normally do to start a combo (ie. land the aerial attack "early").
Like the crouching FP -> Soul throw combo, the jumping SK is a very
demoralizing move once you perfect it.
Tip #9 -- ARK's JP/SK have short range; even more uses for Rose'
crouching JP
If at any time Rose blocks a crouching JP from ARK, immediately try
to do a crouching JP into a combo. Why is this ?
The most common move ARK does after a crouching JP is a crouching
FK/FK or Fireball. If your opponent is good enough that he can link
those attacks, then Rose will be trapped in her blocking animation
(see General Strategies: "Frozen Rose"). If your opponent is too
slow to link properly then he'll end up eating Rose' JP. If your
opponent is going to try a move other those mentioned, then chances
are it'll be too slow to combo properly. Rose' JP will nail them.
Finally, ARK will do a crouching JP/SK when they are planning to
throw. Rose' jab will prevent this, but do see tip #10.
Tip #10 -- The (mis-)throwing ARK
Here's an ARK playing style I'm seeing more and more of. They'll do a
crouching JP/SK followed by a throw. While "ticking" has been
around since Street Fighter began, SFZ3 allows for players to
_dileberately_ miss. What sneaky ARK players will do is to throw you
once, then, when you're within range again, do a JP/SK -> pause/missed
throw/walk -> Dragon Punch. Considering that my usual advice is to
counter-attack with a crouching JP right after blocking ARK's weak
attacks, I sometimes get caught by the Dragon Punch. If your
opponent is using this tactic, switch from the crouching JP to the
crouching SK, which is less likely to get hit by the Dragon Punch.
Tip #11 -- More ARK patterns
Here's another pattern, sometimes used in conjunction with the
patterns mentioned in tip #5 and #6: Jump-in attack -> crouching SK ->
cross-up attack. If you can react fast enough, you can knock ARK out
of the air with a crouching FP. I don't recommend it. Just block the
cross-up then either slip into "frozen Rose" or throw him.
Here's another: Rose air-blocks one of ARK's jumping attacks ->
overhead attack. Most players get caught by the overhead attack
because they're still crouch-blocking when they touch the ground.
Remember: if you air-block a jumping attack, start doing crouch-JP
even as you reach the ground.
Tip #12 -- The ARK turtle; the poking game
Here's the situation: you beat the living daylights out of ARK in
round one, then let him win on round two. In round three, he jumps
into a corner and digs in. He jumps over the Soul Sparks you're
throwing, and since he's on defensive mode any attempt you make in the
air is met with a Dragon Punch. What now ?
First of all, take a breather and count to ten. Losing your cool over
a turtler is not good PR. The only way to win now is to poke ARK and
hope for a guard break (see General Strategies: "Poking Patterns").
Make sure your Super Combo meter is full. You can use the crouching FK
-> SK Soul Spiral poke with impunity. If ARK makes any move after the
Soul Spiral, make him pay with a level 3 Aura Soul Throw.
Tip # 13 -- V-ism Ryu/Ken
Stay away from corners ! I cannot stress this enough. Both Ryu and Ken
is most effective when you're in a corner. Sure, they may have
midscreen VC's, but they're _very_ rare. Ryu and Ken's anti-air VC's
aren't too hot, either, so you don't have to take special precautions
(aside from what's normal) when attacking them from the air. Ryu, in
particular, won't waste his VC against an aerial opponent.
Tip # 15 -- V-ism Akuma
V-ism Akuma is most dangerous, IMHO, from midscreen or when _he_ is in
a corner, since a lot of his VC's start from there. Unlike Ryu and
Ken, Akuma's VC's are perfectly balanced -- he has juggles, anti-air,
corner crushers, etc. Don't jump on Akuma when he has a Super Combo
Meter charge unless you want to lose. Akuma is also the fastest
builder of Super Combo Meter charge of the three. IMHO, he severely
outclasses Rose, so don't feel bad if you lose to him.
In closing:
The best way to hurt ARK is to when he's particularly vulnerable. Jab
underneath Hurricanes. Reflect fireballs. Stay within the tip of Rose'
range and not ARK's. Never gamble on powerful combos and rely instead
on easy those easy to recover from. Reserve your Super Combo for the
single, devastating attack. When being trapped, don't panic.
* Rose Vs. Balrog (M. Bison in Japan) *
Threat
- low to moderate
Common -ism
- Z (but X is _way_ more powerful)
This assumes Balrog in the arcades (who is "Extra Balrog" in the PSX).
Rose has much better priority, range, combos, and speed than Balrog.
When fighting Balrog you can simply crouch-block then poke at him with
crouching FK -> Soul Spark. Don't get too confident though, especially
with X-ism Balrog. His Dashing Punch has great area, range, recovery,
and inflicts so much damage (enough to brave the pokes Rose may use).
His crouching SP/FK is not to be underestimated. Don't jump around too
much, particularly backwards, as a good Balrog player will use his
footspeed so that you won't have space to jump forward and attack
effectively.
* Rose Vs. Birdie *
Threat
- low (moderate if you're throwing Soul Sparks around)
Common -ism
- Z
Moves of note
- Murderer/Bandit Chain (throws of good damage and range)
- Bull Revenger (Super combo version of the Murder/Bandit chain;
long range)
- Body Splash
- crouching/standing/near FP (all anti-air)
- Bull Horn (Birdie charges with a headbutt; slow, but
invulnerable starting animation)
- Bull Head (like the Bull Horn but faster and little
invulnerability)
- The Birdie (Super Combo version of the Bull Head/Horn)
There aren't many players who use Birdie. Those who do usually end up
playing Zangief instead (that being said, Zangief players play Birdie
after being sick of the Russian).
Tip #1 -- Soul Spark applications
Keep an eye on Birdie's Super Combo meter. If it has a charge in it,
don't do the Soul Spark at mid- to far- ranges. The Bull Revenger was
specifically designed to be used against fireball-happy opponents.
However, if Birdie is at close range, you can safely feed him Soul
Sparks and SP Soul Spirals without retaliation (the Bull Revenger is
notoriously hard to aim at close range)..
Tip #2 -- If Birdie's in the air, watch out
Birdie's aerial moves have incredible priority against grounded
characters. If Birdie jumps on you while you're in the ground, see if
you're fast enough to hit him before he reaches the apex of his jump
(with a crouching FP/Soul Throw). If you're not, don't try to stop
him. Rose' basic moves will be snuffed out if you try to hit him on
his downward movement from the jump, while the Soul Throw is hard to
use because of Birdie's angle. Birdie also has a variation of
Zangief's "Snuffle" (see Rose Vs. Zangief). If your opponent is trying
to use Birdie's aerial superiority I suggest you block then
counter-attack with a crouching JP to a combo.
Tip #3 -- Soul Spark then jump on Birdie; go for the guard break.
Opinions vary on Birdie's anti-air moves. Some people say they're
pretty good, especially against unwary players who don't recover in
the air properly after being hit with Birdie's crouching FP. His
standing FP is also pretty painful with the right timing. I
suggest trying a jump-in SK/FK to see if your opponent can use
Birdie's anti-air move properly. If not, then follow with crouching
JP -> crouching FK -> Soul Spark/JP Soul Spiral. Repeat. Crossing-up
Birdie also works well, as he has no wake-up anti-air.
If your opponent is good with Birdie's anti-air moves, then I suggest
creating some distance between him and Rose by jumping backward, then
throw a JP Soul Spark, followed up with a jump-in attack and combo.
Tip #3.1 -- Jumping back
Don't get too predictable with this tactic. Some Birdie players
activate the Bull Revenger as you are about to land from a jump.
Tip #4 -- Birdie's got Rose cornered with her guard about to crash
If Rose is cornered with her guard meter flashing, then you can
try using the FP Soul Throw to get behind Birdie. Birdie is not a
combo machine, and the most Birdie players only do is a crouching
RK. The various Chain attacks will likely miss and, for some
reason, Birdie players don't use The Birdie.
Tip #5 -- Don't stick your foot out unless you're sure to hit.
The computer is very good at doing this -- if you do a crouching kick
and miss, Birdie slams his fists down on Rose' legs as she recovers. I
haven't met anyone who can do this consistently, but you might, so
don't do a crouching FK/RK unneccesarily.
Tip #6 -- Watch the Bull Head and Bull Horn
These two moves look almost exactly alike. Birdie leans back then
charges with his head. Note that while Birdie is leaning back he gains
a brief moment of invulnerability. Supposedly, these moves can go
through fireballs, but I haven't met anyone who can do this at all (in
SFZ3). The computer is also very good at using the Bull Head/Horn
against jumping opponents, but I have yet to see a human player do
this well.
If you block the Bull Head (the quick, short invulnerability,
slow-recovering version), immediately counter-attack. Use the JP.
Avoid the temptation of jumping back, or you'll end up eating a FP.
If you block the Bull Horn (longer period of invulnerability, better
recovery), _immediately_ JP back. If you hesitate then you'll be
slammed by the Murderer/Bandit Chain (see tip #6).
Remember: the Bull Horn has a slower, slightly invulnerable startup
than the Bull Head. Some of Rose' attacks may simply go through
Birdie. Block and counter-attacks instead of trying to hit Birdie out
of it.
Birdie players will try to "tick" when using the Murderer/Bandit
Chain. Birdie will do a JP/SK or a Bull Head/Horn, followed by the
Murderer/Bandit Chain if Rose just blocks, or a FP if Rose tries to
jump away. In order to avoid this set-up, immediately do crouching
JPs the moment you block a JP/SK/Bull Head/Horn from Birdie.
In closing:
Definitely a weak character, Birdie isn't an opponent you'll meet
often. Play defensively and go easy on the Soul Spark (you can abuse
it later when his Super Combo Meter has been depeleted).
* Rose Vs. Blanka *
Threat
- moderate to high
Common -ism
- X/Z (X is better, but Z appeals to turtles simply because of
the air-block)
Moves of note
- Rolling Attack (horizontal and vertical)
- Ground Shave Roll (anti-air Super Combo)
- jumping FP/FK/RK (all air-to-ground attacks)
Blanka is a very irritating character to fight against. All he does
roll, jump at you with a FP/FK, then jump backwards in a corner after
inflicting some damage. I've heard several suggestions on how to deal
with Blanka, most of which are useless unless you can do "Reversal"
moves consistently. A lot of beginners love Blanka because it allows
them to kick the living daylights out of intermediate players.
Tip #1 -- General Blanka strategy: go for the aerial battle and attack
early.
This goes against several other FAQ's regarding Blanka and Rose. Most
players suggest that Rose should stay on the ground and do a crouching
FP -> Soul Throw juggle against a jumping Blanka. This works fine,
but never expect the crouching FP -> Soul Throw juggle to work
more than twice against any given player.
What I suggest is to meet Blanka in the air with a jumping FP/FK/RK.
Timing is everything. Attack before Blanka attacks, and Rose will win
in most exchanges. The idea here is to prevent Blanka from reaching
the highest point of his jump (Blanka jumps faster and higher than
almost all the other characters).
Tip #2 -- Jump on a grounded Blanka (and other strategies)
There is only one situation when its safe to jump on a grounded Blanka
-- while he's getting up. Blanka's anti-air moves (the Vertical Roll,
the standing FP/RK) are anticipatory, not reactionary. What this means
is that his anti-air moves are great when he's up standing or
"charging" down and his opponent is high in the air. However, once
you're on your way down there isn't much he can do except block or
jump back (or do a Ground Shave Roll, which isn't that damaging). If
you manage to knock Blanka down, go for the cross-up (to nullify the
"charge" on his Horizontal Rolling Attack) with a jumping FK, followed
by the most devastating combo you can think of if the jump attack hits
(usually a crouching FP -> level 3 Aura Soul Throw) or a crouching JP
-> crouching SP -> Soul Spark to chip away at the guard meter. If he
manages to block your attacks, go on the defensive. Don't move -- just
block.
Blanka will then :
a) jump towards you with a FP
b) jump away
c) walk backwards
d) not move (he's charging up)
e) attack (not likely, though)
If he jumps toward you, respond with a crouching FP -> Soul Throw
Juggle (if he's right on top of you). If you think that you're in a
poor position and that the FP will trade hits, go for the aerial
battle instead (see tip #1).
If Blanka jumps away, then follow with a jumping SK/FK. Upon landing,
do a crouching JP, which will stop whatever dreams of retaliation
he has. If the JP connects or is blocked, follow with a crouching SP
-> Soul Spark. Don't count on the JP connecting, though. Chances are,
Blanka will simply jump back again after blocking your jumping attack.
If the JP doesn't connect, don't move -- just block and wait for his
next move.
If Blanka walks backward, then follow with a jumping SK/FK. Chances
are, he'll jump. If he jumps back, he'll be beyond Rose' range of
attacks. If he blocks, do a crouching JP -> crouching SP -> Soul Spark
or, better yet, a throw (I whole-heartedly support this cheap move
against Blanka).
Why not a stronger attack when going after a Blanka walking/jumping
backward ? Your intention here is not to inflict massive damage but to
outprioritize him in case he's thinking of trying to trade hits.
If Blanka is just sitting there and doesn't move neither should you.
He's charging up a Vertical Rolling Attack and Rose can't do squat
about this.
If Blanka's on the ground and attacking, simply block. His
ground-based attacks are all of his crouching kicks and crouching
punches (except for the crouching FP, which is unpredictable). All of
these moves have good priority, and most can be used in a combo into
his Specials, so trading hits is not an option. Simply block all of
these attacks until you're out of range. If however, your guard meter
is flashing, you can try to jump back and stick out a SK/FK, which may
stop the Horizontal Rolling Attack he's been charging up or that
jumping FP punch he'll try to use.
Tip #3 -- Dealing with that damn roll
Blanka's Horizontal Rolling Attack is hard to stop consistenly. Sure,
any jab will stop it, but who are we kidding ? One option in
preventing that damn attack is to use a standing FP/RK as a reveral
after blocking the ball. This is as hard as hell, but if you manage to
pull this off twice or thrice, he'll hesistate before rolling again.
Another option would be to jump back and using a SK/FK. This, however,
trades hits, and Blanka inflicts more damage. Don't even try using the
Soul Spark and Soul Spiral unless you can use these moves as reversals
consistently.
Tip #4 -- Moves that don't work against Blanka
These moves should be avoided unless you're sure they're going to hit
or at least be blocked:
- all standing punches
- crouching FP/FK/RK
- Soul Spiral (all strengths)
- Aura Soul Spark (all levels)
In closing:
Pick Honda. Pick Zangief. Pick Blanka, so you can see who gets annoyed
first.
* Rose Vs. Cammy/Juli/Juni (CJJ) *
Threat
- moderate to high
Common -ism
- Z (V for experts, but they're few and far between)
Moves of note
- standing SK/FK/RK, crouching FP (pokes)
- jumping kicks (rather long-ranged)
- various throws (since CJJ has terrific ground speed, expect
her to weave in and out then throw)
- Spiral Arrow (CJJ twists her body feet first toward her
opponent; recovery time mainly depends on how "deep" she lands
the attack -- if only the tip of her feet touch Rose, she'll
recover fast; Juli does not have this move, but instead has
"Sniping Arrow", where she thrusts forward at about chest
level; extremely poor recovery time)
- Cannon Spike (a rising kick; anti-air)
- Dive Bomb (also known as "Cannon Strike"; Cammy kicks downward;
fast as hell)
- Hooligan Roll (CJJ spins in the air to be followed by throw
or a low slide; the throw is hard to stop; Juli does not have
this move)
- Killer Bee Assault (also known as "Phantom Layette"; Cammy's
level 3 Super Combo where she juggles her opponent across the
screen)
These three characters are similar enough to be grouped into one. All
their normals are practically the same. Cammy is the most likely to be
used. Juni is more powerful (IMHO), but is harder to use (because
she's a charge character). Juli is weaker than the two, so don't
expect to see her much.
Tip #1 -- Aerial matters
In the air, CJJ's moves are comparable to Rose'. Rose, however, is at
an advantage because her moves can combo into lots of nasty things
after an aerial attack, while CJJ's can't. Be aggresive with Rose'
various linking and 2-in-1 moves. Sample pattern: aerial attack ->
2 ground attacks -> Soul Spark/cross-up -> repeat. Watch the cross-up,
though. CJJ is pretty small and fast and may simply walk underneath
it. Juni can flat-out teleport away.
If your CJJ opponent likes to jump with a SK/RK then try meeting her
in the air a couple of times with a jumping FK to see if her timing is
good. If you exchange hits or you get snuffed then go for the ground
battle (see tip #2). If you win the exchange consitently then, by all
means, keep on meeting her in the air.
Don't try to stop CJJ's jumping SK/RK if you're on the ground. Just
block and counter-attack. A level 2 Aura Soul Throw works well against
an aerial CJJ, but I don't recommend it -- save your Super Combo meter
for a level 3 Aura Soul Throw.
Note: the better the CJJ player, the less likely he'll resort to
jumping attacks. The best CJJ players I've seen are strictly pokers
and will jump only when they're feeling confident or an extraodinary
opportunity presents itself.
Tip #2 -- General strategies 2; ground battle
Sample CJJ poking pattern: weave in and out -> standing RK/crouching
FK. The more daring players will weave in just within your attack
range, pause, then throw you after a missed attack. If you jump at
her, she'll likely: a) walk back then attack as you land (her version
of "Neutral Zone"); b) Cannon Spike (Cammy and Juli only, and only if
you jumped from an unfavorable distance); c) jump back (if her guard
meter is flashing).
First, do not back away from CJJ if you have a choice. You do not want
to be cornered. Try to keep the battle mid-screen (or with CJJ's back
to the wall). Poke back at CJJ with crouching SP/FK then walk a bit
forward ("Creeping Rose"). Rose may be at a slight disadvantage, as
CJJ's standing RK will inflict more damage than Rose can if you
exchange hits. If you ever get knocked down in an exchange, regain
ground with the forward ground roll. Avoid the temptation of using the
crouching RK and Soul Spiral, or a Soul Spark outside of a combo. That
being said, try to abuse your crouching FK -> Soul Spark as much as
possible. The only time to back away from CJJ is when your guard meter
is flashing, and even then, poke back as you try to get away.
If you block a crouching RK from CJJ, immediately counter-attack. This
is not a move you'll see from expert players. Watch out for the
occasionaly Spiral Arrow fake (basically, Cammy/Juni will try a SK
Spiral Arrow, then do a Super Combo if you try to counter-attack).
The only safe distance to jump at CJJ is as a cross-up (or see tip
#5). Any other time, try to hit with only the tip of Rose's foot
(_not_ deep). Aside from the pattern mentioned in tip #1, you can
occasionally follow your aerial attack with the Soul-piette. Pattern:
jumping FK ->
Tip #3 -- The Hooligan Roll and Killer Bee Assault
The Hooligan Roll is extremely irritating. Strictly speaking, any
attack will stop it. Realistically, you have to react _very_ fast in
order to avoid it. I've seen in beat the Dragon Punch even during the
startup animation (which is supposed to be invulnerable).
Once the Hooligan Roll is on the downward spin, the only way it will
miss is if your opponent made a mistake in its execution in the first
place (such as wrong range or mistimed button press). The only way to
stop it is with a Super Combo. Lesson: once you see Cammy start to
spin up, attack with a Super Combo, FP, or Soul-piette. Jumping away
doesn't always work.
Cammy has a level 3 Super Combo, the Killer Bee Assault, where Cammy
rolls into the air, then bounces off the wall towards her opponent.
The Killer Bee Assault inflicts around 5x more damage than the
Cannonball Leap, but can be blocked if you're on the ground. It _must_
be blocked, as I have yet to see a move that can stop it.
Unforunately, the initial animation for the Killer Bee Assualt and the
Cannonball Leap can look the same. If you aren't careful, you might
try to attack Cammy while she rolls in the air, thinking that she'll
do a Cannonball Leap. The Killer Bee Assault has two uses: a) off
the bat, for no reason at all, hoping to hit you (beginners only); b)
when you try a Soul Spark. Lesson: Cammy moves a lot, and if she's
crouching on the ground away from you, then assume that she's
"charging" up for the Killer Bee Assault -- once you see her roll from
such a distance block instead of attacking. Lesson: if Cammy's
charging down-back at a distance away from you, do _not_ throw a Soul
Spark unless in a combo. Lesson: be aggresive and never let Cammy get
the time to charge down.
Tip #4 -- V-ism Cammy
V-ism Cammy has her Dive Bomb, which is insanely fast with matching
priority. Only a Level 2/3 Aura Sould Throw can stop it reliably. If
your opponent start to abuse this, try to jump straight up and hit her
while she's below you.
As with all V-ism characters, CJJ can activate her VC in order to
avoid an anti-air attack, then whack Rose. As such, if CJJ is in the
air on her way down just block her attack or just jump away. CJJ's
main VCs, however, are anti-air. Keep this in mind when jumping on
her.
Tip #5 -- Juni
Juni is a "charge" character, radically different in playing style to
Cammy and Juli. She tends to move less, since she's charging. She also
pokes less, and may even play "turtle". Juni is also more likely to
throw, particulary with her version of the Spinning Piledriver and
Hooligan Roll.
If Juni is up and walking, attack from the air. She can't use her
Cannon Spike, but do watch out for her anti-air normal attacks. Use
Rose' SK/FK. A Juni walking is up to something (most likely to throw)
and it's best to deprive her of options by going aggresive.
In closing:
Play aggresively. Try to be where she is. Air-to-air. Ground-to-
ground. Use the Soul Spark only from long ranges or in a combo. Never
let her get a breather to use the Hooligan Roll. Poke back at her if
she gets into the poking game.
* Charlie/Nash (also his clone, Guile, on the PSX) *
Threat
- low
Common -ism
- Z (but V is _way_ better)
Moves of note:
- standing JP/FP (anti-air ?)
- Rolling Sabot (a hop kick that must be blocked standing)
- Sonic Boom (Charlie/Guile spinning projectile)
- crouching FP (anti-air, but only when he's being aggresive)
- Sommersault (err... a sommersault; primarily anti-air, but
isn't too good at that; can be used against a grounded
character, but isn't too good at that either; horrifically low
priority)
- Sommersault Justice (Super Combo version of the Sommersault)
Charlie isn't seeing much action in SFZ3. He is weaker here than SFZ2.
Anyway, if you do happen to meet Charlie or Guile (PSX only), here are
some tips which apply to both of them.
Tip #1 -- Assesing Charlie
Check if your opponent is trigger-happy with the Somersault. Jump on
a crouching Charlie, simply block, then see what anti-air he tries. If
he does the Somersault and you air-block it, you can be assured that
you're fighting a beginner and you can play much more aggresively. If
he Somersaults and you get hit or if he does the Somersault Justice
then he's at least an intermediate player. Don't jump on him again if
he's charged up. Reassess him again later. If he jumps back, then he's
a turtler, possibly experienced, but too afraid of Rose. Play
aggresively. If he does a funky anti-air (such as a standing JP/FP)
and it looks like he knows what he's doing, he's an expert (but even
then Charlie is still meat against Rose).
In any case, remember that Rose can outpriotize all of Charlie's anti-
air. The next time you jump on him make sure you attack with a SK/FK.
Tip #2 -- Annoy your opponent with the Soul Reflect; jumping
Charlie will throw a Sonic Boom at Rose then will either: a) walk/run
behind it then attack as you block the it Boom; or b) charge for
another one. Only beginners will stick to the second option for long.
Use Rose' Soul Reflect extensively against the Sonic Boom. In
paricular, use the JP version in order to charge up. If Rose' Super
Meter is charged up, use the SP version in order to reflect the
Sonic Boom horizontally. The objective of this is not to hit your
opponent with the Sonic Boom, but to lure you opponent in the air...
Only the worst players will get hit by a returning Sonic Boom from
a FP version of the Soul Reflect, but can try it anyway.
If your opponent goes for the first option (attack behind the Sonic
Boom), jump on Charlie with a SK/FK (see tip #3).
Tip #3 -- Use that Aura Soul Throw
If Charlie jumps toward you, pull off an Aura Soul Throw (level 1/2 if
he's right on top of Rose, level 3 if he's a away a bit).
Another way of effectively using the level 3 Aura Soul Throw is to
take advantage of Charlie's range. Lure Charlie into kicking with his
crouching FK/RK by using a SK Soul Spiral (see also tip #3). The SK
Soul Spiral, when used at a correct distance, will make Rose recover
outside the range of Charlie's kicks. Some players will try to kick
anyway, or even use a Sonic Boom, Sonic Break, or Crossfire Blitz.
Make them pay for their mistake by doing a level 3 Aura Soul Throw and
watch their jaws drop as your attack goes through theirs.
Tip #4 -- Go for the guard crash/tick
You can go for the guard crash when fighting Charlie. You can either
throw Soul Sparks at Charlie (not advised unless you are far away) and
cause him to jump, or wait for him to throw a Sonic Boom. You then do
a jumping FK (which has higher priority against nearly all of
Charlie's attacks), followed by crouching JP -> crouching FK ->
crouching RK/SK Soul Spiral/Soul Spark. Or you can always throw
Charlie the moment he blocks the jumping FK (cheap, but sometimes this
is the only way to win against Charlie "turtles").
Tip #5 -- Distance games.
Charlie can be difficult to deal with if you are cornered. Jump, and
he'll try to blast you with a crouching FP, Somersault, or Somersault
Justice. Be defensive and he'll feed you Sonic Boom and crouching
FK/RK. Charlie can also deliver nasty combos after a guard crash.
Rose' attacks have a higher priority then Charlie's, so she has
several things to get out of a corner, some of which aren't pretty.
I'll discuss these options by range:
a) Charlie far (beyond the range of Rose' crouching RK). This should
be easy.
As I've said, Rose has a higher priority than Charlie. At this
range, Charlie's anti-air attacks are next to worthless against Rose.
Simply do jumping SK/FK. These moves have a higher priority than the
crouching FP and the Somersault, but beware the Somersault Justice. If
your opponent is capable of doing the Somersault Justice consistently,
don't sweat it -- just take the damage and press on.
Also, check to see if you're opponent is Somersault-happy. The
Somersault can be airblocked so use this to your advantage. Jump at
Charlie, airblock the Somersault, land and deliver a combo.
Fake your opponent. Do quick moves that you know won't hit your
opponent, but may make him think that you are open to attack.
Basically, you can do any move safely except FP and RK, and the
various Specials and Super Combos. JP to your heart's delight. If
you're feeling brave, you can try a Soul Spark or a Soul-piette, but I
wouldn't recommend it against quick players. The moment Charlie stands
up or throws a Sonic Boom, punish him (see tip #3 and tip #4).
b) Charlie at medium range (about the range betwen Rose' crouching
SP and crouching FK). Things are a bit more complicated.
At this range Charlie is at his best. Charlie will not play
defensively at this range and will throw every technique he knows.
The Sonic Boom is difficult to deflect this close, and Charlie's
crouching FP can be used with impunity to knock down jumping
opponents. Charlie players also tend to walk forward and do a
crouching attack right after the Sonic Boom.
Get away. This is my advice. Get some distance between you. Use a
crouching SP/FK -> Soul Spark if necessary. Although Rose' attacks
have better priority than Charlie at this range, the Sonic Boom is
simply too fast, and his crouching FP/RK inflict more than acceptable
damage. Jumping over a Sonic boom will likely have you landing behind
Charlie with you back to him, defenseless, at close range (this isn't
such a bad thing though, see below). You can try a FK as you jump, in
the hope of a cross-up, followed by a combo.
c) Charlie close (about jab distance). Charlie's predictable, but
deadly.
At this range, the typical Charlie combo is crouching JP -> crouching
SK -> Sonic Boom -> crouching FK/RK. All Rose can do here is block,
but you may try to stuff Charlie's crouching RK with an attack of your
own. It goes without saying that your best bet to intercept his attack
is with a level 3 Aura Soul Throw, but since this isn't always
possible I suggest a crouching FK, but this may trade hits (a bad
thing because you'll be knocked down and Charlie inflicts more damage).
Watch for throws. The moment Charlie pauses after a JP/SK he will
either throw or he is faking you out, hoping you will expect a
throw and make a mistake. Super Combos won't help much in this case,
since he's expecting it. I suggest doing a crouching SP/FK -> Soul
Spark, but for surprise you can try a Soul Reflect.
When your guard is about to crash you can try the Zero Counter, which
will place Rose behind Charlie (and out of a corner). The Zero
Counter, however, is rather painful to use, but then again it's better
than to have you guard broken by Charlie.
The most extreme way to get away from Charlie at close range is to use
the FP Soul Throw. The FP Soul Throw is quick and unlikely to be
intercepted on the way up, and if you're lucky, they'll try a
Somersault and miss. Charlie players will wait for Rose to come down
and then unleash a combo. Fortunately for Rose, the FP Soul Throw
has an angle that will make her land behind Charlie, effectively
ruining most of his attacks. The deadliest combo Charlie can do at
this point is a crouching SP -> Somersault (which is actually a good
deal).
Tip #6 -- V-ism Charlie
V-ism Charlie, IMHO, is his most powerful -ism, but despite this he's
still a weak character. He has one main VC -- repeated Sommersaults.
He has two methods of landing this.
a) Throw Threat. Works best in corners. Charlie will throw a Sonic
Boom, walk behind it (as if to throw you if you block the boom),
activate the VC if you try anything, then proceed to bash Rose around.
If you don't move, you _will_ be thrown. The best way to deal with is
is to jump back and air-block. Why not jump forward or up ? Because
Charlie might try a Regular Move (as anti-air) prior to the
Sommersault juggle. This isn't very reliable, but it might work if
you get careless.
b) As anti-air. Works anywhere. When you're coming down from the air,
Charlie will activate the VC then use the Sommersault juggle.
This method does not work well, fortunately for Rose. The
Sommersault can be air-blocked, and any of Rose' attacks can
outprioritize it, even with the VC's invulnerability time. Just jump
attack at him even when his Super Combo Meter is charged up.
In closing:
Rose rules the air. If Charlie throws a Sonic Boom, jump and attack.
If he walks forward, jump and attack. In fact, if your opponent is a
beginner you can pretty much jump and attack all you want.
* Rose Vs. Chun Li *
Threat
- moderate
Common -ism
- X/Z (I haven't seen V)
Moves of note:
- all aerial attaks
- crouching RK (with her hand on the floor Chun Li kicks out to
about thigh level; will outprioritize or trade hits with almost
any normal ground attack Rose can make)
- Kikou Ken (her fireball; make her pay if she uses this;`Z/V-ism
only)
- Sen'en Shuu (she does a split, flips forward, then hits with
her leg; must be blocked standing)
- Kaku Kyaku Raku (Chun Li flips forward high in the air then
knees her opponets back of the head; looks like a cross-up, but
it's not; must be blocked standing)
- Tenshou Kyaku (Chun Li spins up in the air kicking; anti-air)
- Hazan Tensou Kyaku (Z-ism only; Super Combo version of the
Tenshou Kyaku)
- Senretsu Kyaku (Super Combo where Chun Li charges with kicks)
- Spinning Bird Kick (Chun Li flips upside down then twirls; lots
of different uses, but not very effective in any of them)
There are a _lot less_ players of Chun Li these days.
Tip #1 -- Watch that Sen'en Shuu and Kaku Kyaku Raku
I start off my Chun Li tips with a warning: the level 3 Aura Soul
Throw _does not_ work well against the Sen'en Shuu. Against most other
opponents, the level 3 Aura Soul Throw will stop whatever they're
doing. The level 3 Aura Soul Throw will go through Chun Li instead of
stopping her. Save your Super Combo meter for level 1/2 Aura Soul
Throw against Chun Li jumping.
I've found that the best way to stop the Sen'en Shuu is to do a
crouching FK. The Sene'en Shuu has good recovery so blocking then
counter-attacking is not recommended.
Rose is hard-pressed to stop the Kaku Kyaku Raku. It has good priority
and the angle makes it hard to hit. It has good recovery and hard to
counter-attack against. Visually, it looks like Chun Li is attacking
from behind, so blocking is sometimes confusing (since it also must be
blocked standing), and walking forward (trying to get underneath and
past it) is a no-no. This move has two weaknesses. First, it's slow as
hell. Second, the effective range is very short. Keep Chun Li at
poking range of Rose' kicks and you shouldn't see much of this move.
Giving your opponent no opportunity to use the Kaku Kyaku Raku is much
easier than trying to deal with it.
Tip #2 -- Chun Li in the air
Chun Li has about the same priority as Rose in the air, but Chun Li
deals a bit more damage. Lesson: don't meet Chun Li in the air.
Chun Li air-to-ground is also quite strong. Block Chun Li (especially
X-ism Chun Li) if she's attacking from the air then concentrate on
what she'll do next (see tip #4). Rose' crouching FP will trade hits
with most of Chun Li's aerial attacks, so I don't recommend it.
Instead, try to anticipate (or lure into) Chun Li's next jump (which
is why I suggest blocking first -- it lures your opponent into
overconfidence) then nail her with an level 1 Aura Soul Throw. This
works better on Chun Li than other characters because she jumps very
high.
Tip #3 -- Go for the poking game; Chun Li getting closer
Try to keep Chun Li at about the tip of Rose' crouching FK then poke
away. Rose can combo her Soul Spark off the crouching FK (Chun Li
can only combo off her close-ranged attacks), so you can go for
crouching FK -> Soul Spark. You have to watch out for a couple of
things, though. First, Chun Li's crouching RK will 100% outprioritize
almost anything Rose can dish out at this range. Only the rather slow
startup and recovery of this move will deter Chun Li from it, and if
you become predictable it certainly will nail Rose. Second, beware of
poking at Chun Li if she's just sitting there or backing away. You
might meet a Senretsu Kyaku as Rose sticks out her foot.
Tip #3.1 Basic poking pattern against Chun Li
Do a couple of crouching FK (into a Soul Spark if possible) then
stop -> back off a bit/wait for Chun Li to move forward ->
repeat. If Chun Li walks backward, follow on the ground
cautiously (away from her crouching RK range) and expect her to
jump or do a crouching attack. Nail her with a level 1 Aura Soul
Throw if she jumps. If she does a crouching attack (other than a
crouching RK, which should miss -- remember: follow her only
outside of its range), poke back with a RK/crouching FK. If she
does a crouching RK or you miss the previouus RK/crouching FK,
jump in and attack with an SK or FK or just airblock. Repeat
entire process.
The reason for the rather cautious approach against a retreating
Chun Li is the Senretsu Kyaku. You can be a lot more aggressive
once Chun Li's Super Combo meter is depleted.
Chun Li's mind games come into play if she's within jabbing distance.
She will come into this range by either jumping into it (with an
aerial attack, see tip #2), with a blocked Senretsu Kyaku (or other
bungled up move), or by walking into it.
You do not want Chun Li here. Chun Li has too many tricks up her
sleeve at this range. Typical pattern when blocked from the air:
crouching JP -> crouching SK -> Kikou Ken (mid screen only)/Sen'en
Shuu/throw/crouching FK/RK/Kaku Kyaku Raku. As you can see, she has an
arsenal of attacks that can hit from many directions, not one of which
Rose can reliably stop (except for the throw, which Rose can jab
against; see also Tip #1). You have to weather the attacks out and
block appropriately. Nail Chun Li in the air next time.
If you blocked a Senretsu Kyaku, bear in mind that this move has good
recovery, and you might end up in a Hazan Tenshou Kyaku if you try to
attack while Chun Li's recovering. Remember: check out Chun Li's Super
Combo meter, and if you do decide to attack right after the Senretsu
Kyaku, use a combo that starts with a quick attack (such as crouching
SK).
Tip #4 -- Chun Li still has anti-air !
Because Chun Li's Tenshou Kyaku has been limited in priority, players
of SFZ3 tend to forget that she still has it and try aggressively for
the cross-up. This can be mistake, particularly against a prone Chun
Li. As with all charge anti-air, jumping on Chun Li is best when she's
up an walking instead of when she's getting up from the ground.
Tip #5 -- Watch for mistakes
Be aware that Chun Li players can make fatal mistakes, particularly
those expecting her to perform as well as she did in SFZ2. Nail Chun
Li if she tries any of the following.
Crouching JP/SK -> crouching FK -> Special. This does not work well in
SFZ3. Watch your opponent if he tries to link these moves together.
Chun Li will pause between these moves, then try to jump away. You can
hit her between moves, or jump after her with a SK/FK.
Tenshou Kyaku as anti-air. Not as reliable as SFZ2. Jump on a
crouching Chun Li and air-block. If Chun Li insists on using the
Tenshou Kyaku, make her pay.
Kouhou Kaiten Kyaku. Chun Li kicks forward, hits twice, then flips
backward. This might work against other characters. Against Rose, this
is an invitation to be hit.
Missed Kaku Kyaku Raku. Do _not_ use a crouching attack if Chun Li
misses this attack, as it can actually still hit low limbs. Whip out a
standing FP.
Blocked Yousou Kyaku. Chun Li jumps and stamps her heel on her
opponent. This move is actually pretty useful (if timed properly). If
you block it, pause a bit, then nail Chun Li as she sails away.
Kikou Ken outside of a combo. If Chun Li snaps a fireball, jump over
it and proceed to bash her around. She's no ARK, and is really left
vulnerable if she uses the Kikou Ken on its own.
Tip #6 -- -ism specifics
Tip #6.1 -- X-ism
X-ism Chun li plays radically different from Chun Li from SFZ1/2
and Z/V-ism. It's almost like fighting a completely different
character. No fireball, no airblock, and reversal-only Tenshou
Kyaku means she's less likely to attempt to turtle, and more
likely to make full use of her speed, priority and damage. She's
also less "tricky", as the lack of She'en Shuu means you can
crouch-block without being afraid of being nailed by a fast
top-down move.
The primary strategy of X-ism Chun Li would be to use superior
ground speed to weave in and out of most of your attacks, then
snap out an occasional crouching RK, or Senretsu Kyaku if you
make a big enough mistake. She won't jump around much, and will
only do so if she's feeling confident. You can jump on her, just
make sure of two things: a) you'll land an attack, b) don't go
for a cross-up. These two precautions are all born out of her
ground speed. The first one is important because Chun Li's lack
of reliable anti-air. She will always keep a certain distance. If
you jump on Chun Li from a range that won't land any of your
attacks (such as from a half-screen distance away), you can count
on Chun Li to simply walk a bit backward then nail Rose with a
crouching RK as she land. The second precaution is important if
you jump from a distance too close. Chun Li can run underneath
Rose as she jumps overhead then throw her as she lands.
Tip #6.1.1 -- Crouching RK
Chun Li's crouching RK has amazing priority and damage. With
he walking speed, this is her primary poke. Rose will have a
hard time trying to out-poke this. As such, on a ground-to-
ground battle, Chun Li has the upper hand.
The Spinning Bird Kick ("SBK") can be tricky to deal with. It has
two basic uses.
It can be used as anti-air that hits up to three times. Used in
this manner, the SBK has very low priority and almost any move
will stop it. Unfortunately, the SBK can hit up to three times if
you miss, inflicting massive damage. The SBK is also quite nasty
if you manage to air-block it. It can juggle an air-blocking
character for up to 7 hits, severely depleting the Guard Meter
(not to mention the psychological effect of not being able to
move while being juggled). Lesson: when jumping on Chun Li,
always stick out an attack.
Second, the SBK can be used occasionally against a ground
opponent, hoping to create confusion. In this case, treat the SBK
like ARK's Hurricane kick -- start doing crouching JP's as Chun
Li spins, then when Chun Li jerks back after being hit by the jab
do a level 3 Aura Soul Throw.
Tip #6.2 Z-ism
Most of the previous tips (#1 to #5) assume a Z-ism Chun Li
unless mentioned otherwise. Z-ism Chun Li is also a turtler
supreme. Turtler aren't renown for their skill and if your
opponent gets into this (particularly the jump-in-a-corner-
stick-out-a-foot type) make her pay by playing aggressively,
particularly in the air.
Tip #6.3 V-ism
Also a turtler, but its more likely that you'll be facing an
_expert_ turtler. In all honesty, I haven't found a good Chun
Li V-ism player, and when I try to play as V-ism Chun Li the
best combo I can come up with is a repeated Kikou Ken against a
cornered opponent. Please mail me for more V-ism Chun Li tactics
and tactics to be used against her.
In closing:
With her priority and combo ability severely decreased from SFZ2,
Chun-li is often reduced to relying on tricky attacks (Z/V-ism) or
simply out-manuevering/out-poking her opponent (X-ism). Z/V-ism can be
dealt with by being familiar with which attacks does what, then poking
at her. X-ism is harder to poke at,
* Rose Vs. Cody *
Threat
- low
Common -ism
- V (V is the most common, but isn't that useful against Rose; Z
with a player who knows Rose will kick Cody's butt under V; I
think he's best at X)
Moves of Note
- jumping RK (good aerial attack)
- jumping FK (cross-up aerial attack)
- Bad Stone (Cody picks up a stone, then throws it)
- Ruffian Kick (he lunges forward with a high, mid, or low kick;
the high kick can be used as anti-air or juggling; the low kick
is usually for combos; the mid kick for juggles)
- Crack Kick (a hop kick forward; covers a wide area and has
decent speed and priority; misses crouching characters)
- Criminal Upper (Cody does an uppercut and a small tornado
appears; mainly for combos, but can be used as anti-air;
juggles)
- Dead End Irony (Cody lunges with a kick, followed by more
kicks; Z-ism only)
- Final Destruction (Cody can walk around in any direction and
his attacks "auto-combo")
- Dodge (Cody dodges mid-section attacks instead of blocking;
V-ism only)
Cody can deliver some devastating combos. That's about it.
Tip #1 -- Air attack
Attack Cody from the air aggresively, but not carelessly. Cody has a
number of damaging anti-air moves, such as his high Ruffian Kick,
Criminal Upper, RK, and crouching FP. They're all pretty slow, and
Rose can out-prioritize all of them.
Tip #2 -- Cody from the air
Air-to-air, Rose has a definite advantage. Rose can out-prioritize
anything Cody can use. Not only that, Cody jumping kicks have odd
timings. Make Cody pay if you meet in the air.
Air-to-ground is another matter. Aside from the the standard jumping
FP, Cody's jumping RK is faster and reaches lower than most aerial
moves, and is therefore harder to stop. Rose can't do much about it
once it comes out, so you must either hit Cody _before_ her uses the
move, or just block it. If your opponent was trying to use the jumping
RK as a bait (in case you were trying to do an anti-air), he'll likely
be unable to combo properly, so once he lands do crouching attacks and
wat out his guard meter.
Tip #3 -- Cody on the ground
Cody is better on the ground than he's in the air (particularly in
V-ism), so you can expect to fight a lot of ground battles.
First off, Cody has _no_ top-down moves. You can crouch all day long
and his only recourse would be an aerial attack, to throw, or to try
his luck with the Bad Stone.
Tip #3.1 -- The Bad Stone (not only is it "bad"... in fact, it
down right sucks)
The Bad Stone isn't a great move. Sure, it's timing can be
altered (theoretically giving it a lot of uses), but it's so
slow, can potentially completely miss, and inflicts smaller
damage than most projectiles.
The Bad Stone can't be Soul Reflected. The stone will bounce off
Rose' shawl (any attack meeting the stone will stop it), but
Rose will not gain any Super Combo meter nor will the stone
return back to Cody.
If Cody attempts the Bad Stone from a great distance away, you
can try to snap out an FP Soul Spark in response. With luck, the
Soul Spark will hit but the Bad Stone will miss. Worst case
scenario: both Rose and Cody will be hit. Rose, however, can
inflict more damage.
Resist the urge to jump at Cody when he reaches down to pick up a
stone. The Bad Stone arcs upward, and can hit Rose as she jumps.
Good Cody players has the timing to this down pat. What you _can_
do is to whip out a single attack (such as a FP, RK, crouching
RK, or level 3 Aura Soul Throw) if you're within range. The
principle is the same as firing a Soul Spark at the stone -- Rose
will inflict more damage than the stone.
Finally, the Bad Stone can be used to _start_ a combo. This is
very hard to do, so don't worry about it much.
While you're crouching there you should stick out Rose' feet and poke
at Cody. Cody's attacks are slow, short-ranged, and have lower
priority than Rose'. Use the crouching SP/SK/FK with impunity, but
skip the crouching RK (which will tempt Cody to jump). You can mix
this up with the Soul Spark (but see tip #4.1)
Tip #3.2 -- The Crack Kick
While keeping a crouching position guarantees immunity from the
Crack Kick, it can still be used to go over Rose' legs. Cody can
do the Crack Kick as Rose does a crouching kick (effectively
nullifying Rose' attack as well as bringing Cody closer), then
attack again (such as with a Super or VC) if you try to
counter-attack the Crack Kick.
The Crack Kick has numerous other uses, which I won't go into
detail since all of them can be avoided by simply crouching.
Tip #4 -- -ism specifics
Tip #4.1 -- V-ism Cody
Forget the Soul Spark and Soul Spiral. Even when used in combos,
V-ism Cody can still sometimes dodge them and make you pay. Rely
on linking Rose various crouching kicks and go for the guard
crash. That being said, save your Super Combo meter for a level 3
Aura Soul Throw. As with all midsection move against V-ism Cody,
don't gamble. Use it when your _sure_ to hit, such as during a
guard crash.
Cody's taunt is said to be invulnerable, but I haven't seen
anyone use this.
Tip #4.2 -- Z-ism Cody
Z-ism Cody greatest strength, IMHO, is in his Dead End Irony. It
has just enough invulnerability and range to make it a threat
against over-enthusiastic players, particularly in conjunction
with a Crack Kick (see Tip #3.2). Of the three -isms, play the
most conservatively against Z-ism.
Tip #4.3 -- X-ism Cody
You can be much more aggressive in poking against X-ism Cody than
Z/X-ism. His Super Combo (the Final Destruction) is hard to do and
almost cannot be used to surprise an opponent (such as in Tip
#3.2). However, be aware that the Final Destruction _can_ inflict
massive damage under an expert's hands.
Finally, X-ism Cody's Bad Stone is slightly more dangerous due to
it's increased damage, so some of the things I suggested in Tip
#3.1 may not be applicable.
In closing:
Turtle and poke. Cody can't do much against Rose when she's crouching,
and he can't deal with her kicks either.
* Rose Vs. Dan *
Threat
- low
Common -ism
- Z (does it _really_ matter ?)
Moves of note
- crouching SP (Dan sticks out his open hand low; high priority,
and, strangely enough, useful as anti-air)
- crouching RK (his sweep that has _isanse_ priority)
If you're feeling paranoid, treat Dan like scaled-down Akuma/Ryu/Ken.
Seriously, though, Dan can be quite a danger if underestimated. In
particular, Dan's SP is deceptively powerful, both against a grounded
opponent and as an anti-air move. I also believe that Dan's crouching
RK has a higher priority than Akuma/Ryu/Ken's, but no agrees with me.
Finally, his repeated Fireball VC inflicts more damage the Ryu's, so
avoid corners like crazy.
* Rose Vs. Dhalsim *
Threat
- high
Common -ism
- X (V has its share of proponents, but IMHO X is so much
deadlier)
Moves of note
- Yoga Fire (Dhalsim spits out a ball of fire)
- Yoga Flame (Dhalsim breathes a huge ball of fire; fast
recovery if blocked; used primarily against characters just
getting up, as anti-air, and as poking deterrent)
- Drill Zutsuki (Dhalsim jumps in the air then spins downward
headfirst; remarkably hard to counter and can be used to get
out of corners)
- Drill Kick (like the Drill Zutsuki, but Dhalsim goes feet
first)
- FP/crouching FP (Dhalsim stretches out his fists; very long
range; used as a poke, as anti-air, and as a counter)
- FK/RK (Dhalsim kicks out far; long range; used primarily as
anti-air but occasionally as a poke against standing characters)
- Slide (Dhalsim slides under fireball; varying speeds, with the
fast ones combo-able; used primarily as anti-fireball)
- standing JP (Dhalsim chops downward; the "Jab of Doom"; nearly
unbeatable anti-air move)
This incarnation of Dhalsim is his most powerful for a long time, and
I've seen tempers flare because of frustration when fighting him.
Personally, I only use Dhalsim only if I challenge or if I feel like
showing off, as I can't beat the Charlie/Nash CPU player without
resorting to cheapness.
Tip #1 -- Assessing your opponent
First of all, see if your opponent is capable of stopping Rose in the
air. Rose has slightly better priority than all of Dhalsim's moves,
except his standing JP, so you should try the strategy that doesn't
work well for other characters -- jump on Dhalsim after he tries a
Yoga Fire.
If you find that your opponent can't handle Rose in the air (if, for
example, he can't time his anti-air moves properly and end up being
hit) then here's another strategy that might raise controversy -- jump
backward, away from Dhalsim. Then jump on him again with an attack.
Jump back. Jump in with an attack. Repeat.
If your opponent is a half-decent Dhalsim player then you should
abandon the aerial approach.
Tip #2 -- Long range techniques
My preferred strategy against Dhalsim is not to get close, but to
keep away. Try to keep a full screen's distance away from Dhalsim but
avoid putting Rose' back against the wall. At this range all of
Dhalsim's attacks shouldn't be able to hit.
Crouch and wait for his next move.
If he tries a Yoga Fire _immediately_ respond with a Soul Spark. Don't
wait for the Yoga Fire to cross midscreen, or Dhalsim will walk
forward then hit you as you recover from the Soul Spark. Keep on
throwing Soul Sparks and nullifying his fireballs. Remember: do this
only if you're at a distance at which his FP can't hit Rose. If you
try to nullify the Yoga Fire at a range where the FP can hit you, you
can expect that Dhalsim will do a FP Yoga Fire quickly followed by a
FP once you nullify the fireball. If you feel yourself spazzing out
then take a breather by jumping straight up over the Yoga Fire then
sticking out a FP/FK as you come down to discourage Dhalsim from
walking towards Rose and sticking a limb beneath her.
X-ism Dhalsim also occasionally makes the mistake of doing a Yoga
Flame instead of the Yoga Fire. Watch for this and take advantage
since the Yoga Flame has a long recovery time.
Sooner or later, Dhalsim will try walk toward Rose to poke her with a
FP or SP. Respond with a crouching SP and nail that limb. The greater
the distance between Rose and Dhalsim, the better.
Tip #3 -- He's coming closer...
Rose is just slightly within range of Dhalsim's FP and SP.
This is Dhalsim's strongest range and he has several tactics:
a) Yoga Fire -> FP when opponent nullifies it. This is most often
used against Akuma/Ryu/Ken becuase of their long recovery times after
the fireball, but Rose is also vulnerable to this tactic. Lesson:
don't use the Soul Spark to nullify the Yoga Fire at this range.
Instead, jump straight up over the Yoga Fire and stick out a FP/FK.
b) Yoga Fire -> anti-air if opponent jumps over it. This is Dhalsim's
trademark pattern. At this range, nearly all of Dhalsim's anti-air
moves will hit. Check out Dhalsim's Super Meter. If it's fully
charged, then DO NOT JUMP AT HIM. Rose may have better priority, but
if you jump at Dhalsim at this range you can count on the Yoga Tempest
to fry her butt. If it's empty, then jump on him with a SK/FK as soon
as he throws the Yoga Fire. While the SK deals little damage, it's
angled in such a way that it will snuff out Dhalsim's anti-air moves,
possibly even the Jab of Doom. Try to hit with only the tip of Rose'
foot.
c) Wait then counter with a FP. Another anti- Akuma/Ryu/Ken move
that is also effective against Rose. Dhalsim won't throw a Yoga Fire
but wait for his opponent to throw a fireball. He will then do a
crouching FP. Dhalsim will get hit by the fireball but his opponent
will get hit a FP that will be considered as a counter, inflicting
massive damage. Lesson: don't throw Soul Sparks at this range.
Rose' best option at this range is for her to get out of it, either
nearer or farther. Getting farther is relatively easy, but getting
nearer is the very thing that Dhalsim was designed to avoid. It's
possible for Rose to jump on Dhalsim, but since this may not be a
viable option, then use "Creeping Rose".
Tip #4 -- You're within range of Rose' attacks
If you've managed to come within range of Rose' crouching FK, don't
celebrate just yet. Tactics at this range vary depending on which mode
Dhalsim is playing in. If he's Z-ism/V-ism, he's toast. Things are
more difficult if he's X-ism, even more so if he's Classical.
a) Z-ism/V-ism Dhalsim. Poke repeatedly at Dhalsim with crouching
FK/RK. Stick in an occasional crouching SP/FP if he tries to poke
back. The Soul Spiral is out of the question, and use the Soul Spark
only in combos, or he'll just slide underneath it. Go for the guard
crash. If Dhalsim tries to back away or if you're pushed back then do
the "Creeping Rose". If he tries to jump back then stand up and walk
towards him a bit (watch out for Dhalsim's aerial moves; see tip #6)
then as he's about to touch ground release a level 3 Aura Soul Throw
or a Soul Spark.
b) X-ism Dhalsim. As with Z-ism/V-ism, poke at Dhalsim repeatedly.
Dhalsim's Guard Meter may be longer in X-ism, but he can't block in
the air. Capitalize on this by jumping after him with a FP if he
jumps back. Watch out for the Drill Zutsuki, though (see tip #6).
c) Classical Dhalsim. Dhalsim is without a Guard Meter, and Rose can't
use her Soul Spiral. She's at a definite disadvantage. Her only option
is to do repeated crouching FK -> Soul Spark, which, if mistimed,
can be countered easily with a slide. You can take a chance and try to
throw Dhalsim, but see below.
Getting into range of your JP/SK is NOT a good idea, paricularly
against X-ism/Classic Dhalsim. If you're within Rose' jabbing
distance, then Dhalsim's close crouching FP/Head Butt/Short Slide are
also within range. These moves have as high priority as Rose' moves,
but can inflict greater damage and are combo-able to the Yoga
Fire/Flame/Tempest. If that's not enough to discourage you, then the
range of Dhalsim's throws will. Dhalsim's throws have the greatest
range in SFZ3 next to Zangief's and Karin's various throws.
Tip #6 -- Dhalsim's escape/Dhalsim in the air
Dhalsim, once cornered, has several options of escape.
a) Drill Zutsuki. Dhalsim jumps up, then dives down with his head
first. This move has a horizontal angle that may take him behind Rose
if she's on the ground. Occasionally, Dhalsim will use this move to
counter a fireball thrown at him. Another use for the Drill Zutsuki is
to discourage opponents from jumping after him. Forget about trying to
counter this move. It has a high priority and only the level 2/3 Aura
Soul Throw or a Soul Spark will stop it consistenly. If you're in the
air while Dhalsim performs this move simply block it, then when both
Rose and Dhalsim touch ground throw his sorry ass. The Drill Zutsuki
has a slight recovery time if it is blocked on the ground, so if you
manage to block it while on the ground you have a small window of
opportunity to hurt him. If you have a full Super Meter then do a
level 3 Aura Soul Throw. If you don't, then you can try a crouching
JP -> crouching SK -> crouching FK -> Soul Spark. If Dhalsim sails
behind Rose then wait until Rose turns around then let loose a
standing FP which will catch Dhalsim before he touches ground.
b) Teleport. Luckily, this move is pretty hard to pull off
consistenly. If you're on the ground and Dhalsim teleports, then walk
backwards. As soon as he rematerializes, do a crouching RK if he's
within range, or jump on him if he's not. The recovery time of the
teleport insures that Rose can nail wherever he reappears, whether to
the left or right of Rose.
c) Jumping back with FK. I love this move (when I'm playing Dhalsim).
Dhalsim jumps back then sticks out a FK. Even the best players are
caught by this move, as Dhalsim's forward looks like it can reach all
the way to the ground. Rose can use use her crouching FP to nail
Dhalsim's leg, but it's easier just to block it.
d) Drill Kick madness. The computer Dhalsim loves doing this. Dhalsim
uses various angles of the Drill Kick to confuse his opponent, then do
a quick combo to push the opponents away. A typical pattern is Drill
Kick -> repeat -> crouching SK -> Yoga Fire/Flame/Tempest. Like
Akuma's Tenma-kujinkyakuu, the Drill Kick is hard to stop because of
its angle, plus it has a great recovery time. Luckily, I've yet to see
this move used to its greatest effect, and Dhalsim players often make
a mistake after pulling off two or three Drill Kicks. The three most
common mistakes with the Drill Kick are: landing too high (in which
case it has a long recovery and you can throw him then), landing on
the ground instead of the opponent (Dhalsim's vulnerable to crouching
RK), and jumping with no attack (he mistimed the Drill Kick and now
he's floating down the ground -- make him pay with a crouching FP ->
Aura Soul Throw).
Tip #5 -- Don't jump directly on top of Dhalsim
The "Jab of Doom" will stop any opponent trying to jump directly on
top of Dhalsim. Although Rose can snuff the jab with her aerial
attacks, I wouldn't recommend it unless you've got the timing down
pat. Jump on top of Dhalsim only if he's been knocked down or from the
farthest possible distance your aerial attack will allow.
Tip #6 -- Yoga Flame applications
The Yoga Flame has several uses, none of which are that useful, but a
lot of players underestimate it.
a) Against a character getting up. If you find yourself flat on your
back with Dhalsim standing near you, you can expect that he'll release
a Yoga Flame as you're getting up. Blocked, it's not really much of a
threat. It's a bit like blocking a fireball. Unfortunately, most
players seem to think that they can use a "wake-up move" against the
Yoga Flame (particularly Akuma/Ken players). Even Rose players think
they can pull off a level 3 Aura Soul Throw against the Yoga Flame as a
wake-up move. Forget it. Ninety percent of the time you'll find
yourself frying if you try to do a wake-up move against the Yoga
Flame. Just block the damn thing.
b) As anti-air. Strictly speaking, the Yoga Flame is lousy as
anti-air. Players who find themselves hit by the Yoga Flame being used
in this manner ought to play something other than SFZ3.
c) Fake-out. A common mistake I've noticed in those playing against
Dhalsim is to jump as soon as they block a Yoga Flame. They usually
end up eating a FK. Lesson: once you block a Yoga Flame, don't
jump; move toward Dhalsim a step then do a crouching SP/FP.
d) Oops. IMHO, the biggest disadvantage to playing X-ism/Classic
Dhalsim is the similarity between the Yoga Fire and Yoga Flame. I'm
trying to do a Yoga Fire then suddenly a Yoga Flame comes out. If your
opponent makes the same mistake, make him pay by using a level 3 Aura
Soul Throw through the Yoga Flame or jumping on him for a nasty combo.
In closing:
Rose can beat all of Dhalsim's anti-air moves with the correct timing.
Don't fall into the mentality of jumping at Dhalsim blindly just to
gain distance. Instead, nail his limbs. And finally, playing against
Dhalsim requires concentration, don't lose your cool.
BTW:
Is it my imagination or is Dhalsim much weaker in the PSX version than
the arcade version ?
* Rose Vs. Gen *
Threat
- moderate
Common -ism
- Z (fun to watch combos)
Moves of note
(Sou-ryuu style)
- jumping FK/RK (long-ranged and good priority)
- Gekirou (looks like Gen is doing bicycle kicks in the air;
nasty, nasty, move that can be used both against aerial and
grounded opponents, tons of priority, massive damage, juggles,
multiple opporunities to combo)
- standing FP/RK (nasty poke; too bad Rose can snuff it with
nearly anything, even her crouching FP !)
- Hyakurenkou (Gen's version of Hundred Hand Slap; use mostly in
combos)
- Zan'ei (Super Combo version of the Hyakurenkou; if this move
hits, a timer appears over Rose' head -- once this timer
reaches 0, Rose will be dizzied)
- Shitenshuu (Gen rushes forward, leaving a wake of explosions if
this move hits; extremely low priority as far as Super Combos
go, but very damaging and nasty in combos)
(Ki-ryuu style)
- jumping FK (_massive_ hit area -- can cross up so nastily)
- jumping RK (can hit _twice_ ?! in the air; used properly, it
can start a very nasty combo if you're on the ground)
- Jasen (Gen rolls forward, hitting multiple times; large damage)
- Kyoutetsu (Gen arcs his hand downward; must be blocked standing)
- Onkyou (looks like Gen is scooping up something; must be
blocked crouching)
- Jakouha (nasty anti-air Super Combo)
- crouching FP (also known as the "Kirou"; Gen brings his hands
up, then stabs forward; can inflict _massive_ damage)
It's a good thing that Gen is so hard to learn and use properly. He's
a very powerful character.
Tip #1 -- Gen's styles
Although being familiar with Gen's style is not a requirement, it can
be useful if you know which of his moves become available to which
style.
In the Sou-ryuu style, Gen holds his hands in front of him. He can use
the Gekirou, and almost all of his regular moves will link and are
cancellable (sort of like Wolverine in the Vs. series). I don't play
Gen myself, but my friends say that this is the style they generally
prefer.
In the Ki-ryuu style, Gen keeps his hands at an angle, one overhead,
one over his chest, with thumb, index, and forefinger forming a point.
Gen loses most of his combos butgains a variety of sneaky moves, such
as the Kyoutetsu and Onkyu. Gen also inflicts more damage (sometimes
_much_ more) in this mode.
Note that X-ism Gen has no "styles". He gets the good moves of both
Sou-ryuu and Ki-ryuu styles, but loses most of his combo capability
and air-block. Its generally held that X-ism Gen is the worst.
Tip #2 -- Sou-ryuu style; Gen generalities, part one
The first style for Gen to play is for him to get into poking distance
(slightly nearer than Rose' poking range) and start sticking out
attacks. If any attacks hits or is blocked, it can be linked into
more attacks. Generally speaking, the closer you are, the more attacks
he can link in. If he has a Super Combo charged up, you can count on a
Shitenshuu at the end of the links.
The best way to avoid this bit of nastiness is to keep just outside of
his poking range then poke back. Rose can do this because her attacks
have longer range and priority than Gen's. Remember: stay out of _his_
range. Don't worry about trading hits -- the farther you are from Gen,
the more likely your move will outprioritize his. Never use the Soul
Spiral, even in a combo (such as when you successfully hit with a
poke). If you miss, you'll pay. The Soul Spark should be used
sparingly, such as in a combo or when Gen's very far away (against the
Ki-ryuu style, don't use the Soul Spark at all; see tip #2).
Never jump on Gen (unless dizzy or otherwise incapacitated, of
course). First, he has an odd assortment of anti-air attacks (in
particular, the Gekirou). Second (even if your opponent can't do a
decent Gekirou), if you jump at him its very likely that you'll land
close to him (and therefore within his poking range -- bad idea).
Tip #2.1 -- the Gekirou fake-out
If you don't jump around much, the Gekirou loses much of it's
effectiveness. The Gekirou, however, can be used to fake out,
because Gen's descent can be speeded up considerably. Gen will do
a Gekirou and _intentionally_ miss. If you try to attack him, he
will suddenly recover then do another Gekirou. Lesson: if Gen
does a Gekirou for no reason, respond only if you're too far away
to be hit with another Gekirou.
Gen in the air has one decent attack -- his jumping RK (the jumping
FK looks the same, but is used more in cross-ups rather than frontal
attacks). Rose can have a hard time stopping this move. Just block it.
Attempting to trade hits with a crouching FP or a Aura Soul Throw is
not recommended -- if you lose the trade, you'll likely end up in a
very nasty combo.
You can discourage Gen from jumping at Rose by not using her slower
pokes (such as the crouching RK). Also, if you've been keeping Gen at
a distance, whenever he jumps at Rose you'll have time to jump back
and stick out a FK. Gen air-to-air isn't very good, as his moves are
mostly mean air-to-ground.
Tip #3 -- Ki-ryuu style; Gen generalities, part two
Ki-ryuu, while lacking the combo ability of Sou-ryuu, is nothing to
laugh at. Ki-ryuu is the "sneaky" style. Personally, I have more
trouble dealing with the Ki-ryuu style than the Sou-ryuu.
Lay off the Soul Spark completely. Gen can roll underneath it, or use
a Super Combo over it.
Watch out for his Kyoutetsu and Onkyou. They're pretty slow, but since
the Kyoutesu must be blocked standing (and the Onkyou crouching),
expect these moves as part of Gen's confusion tactics. Unlike most
top-down moves, these two will move Gen forward quite a distance.
Anyway, both these moves have pretty low priority so you can simply
hit Gen out of them. Lesson: keep him at a distance and poke
aggressively at Gen in Ki-ryuu style.
The Kirou is a slow poke. So slow, most players try to hit Gen out of
it, like his Kyoutetsu and Onkyou. This is a mistake. The Kirou may be
slow, but if it hits while you are trying to stop it, it inflicts
_massive_ damage, kinda like being hit with a Super Combo. Just block
the damn thing then counter-attack.
While Gen's aerial attacks in Ki-ryuu have much lower priority than in
Sou-ryuu, they're more examples of why I call Ki-ryuu the "sneaky"
style. The jumping FK, for example, can be used as standard frontal
attacks, but can also hit opponents as it passes over and behind them.
It's as if Gen is kicking both forward and backward, making it hard to
block. Gen will likely use this move when you've been knocked down and
getting up. Luckily, Gen can only try the cross-up version of this
move only when he's pretty close in the first place (almost right
beside Rose). Lesson: keep him at a distance. Gen's jumping RK is a
horror. It can hit twice! Imagine this: Gen jumps and does a RK -->
Rose blocks the jumping RK standing, then crouches to block the next
attack --> the second hit of the jumping RK hits -> Gen combos. Ouch.
Luckily, as I've said, Gen's aerial attacks have lower priority
in Ki-ryuu than in Sou-ryuu. Lesson: if Gen in Ki-ryuu jumps at you,
knock him out of the air.
In closing:
Don't jump at Gen. Keep him at a distance. Poke from as far away as
possible. In other words: don't give him the opportunity to combo.
* Rose Vs. Guy *
I'm sorry. I have nothing to say about how to fight Guy. Not only have
I yet to fight a Rose Vs. Guy match, but I also don't play Guy at all
(nor do I have the patience to learn). Guy was pretty popular in SFZ1
and 2, but even then I never got to fight him with Rose. Please help
me out and mail me Rose Vs. Guy tactics.
* Rose Vs. Honda *
Threat
- moderate
Common -ism
- Z (but V is suprisingly nasty)
Moves of note
- JP/SP/crouching JP/SP (Honda sticks his palm out; long ranged
pokes with good priority)
- crouching FP (long ranged, quite damaging, rather fast; causes
knockdown; long recovery)
- crouching FK (double hit knee and foot; insane priority;
extremely short range)
- standing FP (anti-air chop)
- jumping FP/RK (surprisingly long ranged punch and kick)
- Flying Sumo Press (Honda jumps and stretches out his arms wide
then lands chest first; good priority and area)
- Harai-geri (Honda stretches his foot out low; rather quick and
with good range)
- Head Butt (also known as the Super Zutsuki; Honda flies
horizontally in the air; lots of uses)
- Butt Slam (also known as the Super Hyakkan Otoshi; Honda flies
up then lands on his butt; hits on the way up and down; must be
blocked standing)
- Ooichou Nage (Honda grabs his opponents head, slams it on the
ground, then he sits on the poor bastard)
- Orochi Kudaki (Super Combo version of the Ooichou Nage; very
damaging)
- Oni Musuo (Super Combo version of the Head Butt; rather weak,
but can patch pokers by surprise)
Strategies versus Honda ?! Yep. In my opinion, Honda is the most
powerful non-projectile character, horribly underrated (check out how
they slam him in alt.games.sf2). IMHO, the only way to consistenly
beat him is to play V-ism (or play Akuma, any -ism). Since Rose is
mostly played in Z, the following tactics may be sorely needed.
Tip #1 -- Never approach a "charged" Honda.
A "charged" Honda is one that has been holding down-back for 2 seconds
and therefore capable of the Sumo Head Butt, Butt Slam, and his two
Super Combos. Honda, first and foremost, is a "turtle" character. He's
quite content to sit on his fat ass and let you attack, then unleash a
Sumo Head Butt when you jump on him (timed correctly, the Sumo Head
Butt is undefeatable as anti-air), mixing it up with a Butt Slam if
you're playing defensively, or a Oni Musuo against pokers.
Tip #2 -- Don't expect Rose's combos to work on Honda.
Honda, like Blanka, has a strange character sprite. Some attacks have a
difficult time on hitting him, especially when he's crouching or
getting up. Instead of destroying Honda with devastating combos, chip
away at his life bar and guard meter with quick, darting attacks (see
tip #4) as you might suddenly find yourself open to attack after
missing a slow combo.
Tip #3 -- When cornered, don't panic.
Honda is horrifyingly effective when he gets to corner an opponent. All
of his punches have high priority and a typical Honda strategy against
cornered opponents is to mix up his various punches and Butt Slam to
wear away the guard meter, and a standing FP or Head Butt against
those who jump at him. Although its possible to sneak in crouching
FK/RK underneath Honda's punches, don't kid yourself. Honda's
crouching SP can stop a lot things, including Super Combos.
What Rose should do is block. After a couple of of Honda's punches
(often a crouching JP -> crouching SK -> standing/crouching SP ->
crouching FP) Honda wil be too far away and will do one of the
following:
a) do a crouching RK or Harai-geri
b) Butt Slam
c) walk forward and repeat the punch attacks
d) Sumo Head Butt (if you try to move forward or jump in any direction)
e) standing FP (if you try to jump on him)
Unless you can do a a level 3 Aura Soul throw there is little you can
do about Honda's crouching RK and Harai-geri (both of which will trade
hits with Rose' kicks, but Honda inflicts more damage). On the upside,
if you blocked the RK or if Honda misses you will no longer be trapped
in a corner. Honda's crouching RK has a shorter range that it looks,
and long recovery. The Harai Geri has longer range, but it doesn't
cause a knockdown and leaves Honda open, blocked or not.
The Butt Slam must be blocked standing. It can do two painful hits. It
can cause a knockdown. What it cannot do is recover fast. If Honda
performs a Butt Slam forget about stoping it. Just block standing then
pull off a nasty combo of your own.
If, at any time, you manage to block Honda's crouching FP,
_immediately_ do a crouching RK. His crouching FP has a longer
recovery time than it looks.
Tip #4 -- Don't worry about you guard meter
Honda is not a combo machine. He can cause a rapid guard crash, but
don't worry about it. Even if your opponent manages to crash your
guard, he won't be able to follow it up easily (this, of course, does
not apply to V-ism Honda).
Tip #5 -- Go for the guard crash
This, I have found, is the best way to win against a good Honda.
Step 1. Get some distance away from Honda, preferably out of his
jumping RK range. This should be easy, considering that Honda is a
"turtle" character. The moment Honda walks forward (thus squandering
his "charge"), go to step 3.
Step 2. Throw a Soul Spark. Do this when you're either very close or
very far away. Up close the Soul Spark will push away Honda. Far away
Honda will a) block b) jump c) Butt Crush. If Honda blocks, throw
another Soul Spark. If he jumps forward or does a Butt Brush meet him
in the air.
Step 3. Do an early jumping SK/FK. These moves have high priority and
will win against Honda the air. If Honda blocks, follow it up with a
crouching JP -> crouching SK -> crouching FK -> crouching RK/JP Soul
Spiral/Soul Spark. These moves are unlikely to all hit, but are hard
to avoid and are a pain in the guard meter. Alternatively, you can
throw them after the jumping SK/FK.
Tip #6 -- Go for the cross-up
Here's another tactics, reminiscent of ARK.
Get close to Honda then jump on him as with a cross-up FK, followed by
a couple of attacks, then cross him up again.
This works well because Honda's Headbutt was designed to be used
against a frontal jumping attacks, and his standing FP was designed as
a anticipatory anti-air, making it worthless if Rose puts on the
pressure. Attack on the ground only a couple of times. This makes sure
that Honda won't have enough of a charge to use any of his specials.
Tip #7 -- Honda in the air
Honda in the air means one of three things: a) you've been knocked
down, b) you've thrown a Soul Spark too close, c) your opponent thinks
that you're not good enough to stop Honda in the air. Honda's quite
powerful in the air (against characters without a Dragon Punch) -- he
has a wide variety of aerial moves suited for many situations, all of
which have better than average priority but difficult timing.
If you've been knocked down (most likely by Honda's crouching FP or
his HeadButt) and he's in the air, most likely he'll use his Flying
Sumo Press. In this case, the most Rose can do is block or do a level
2 Aura Soul Throw. Note that the Flying Sumo Press is also used as a
cross-up attack, so watch out. The three most common attacks that Honda
follows right after the Flying Sumo Press is the crouching crouching
JP -> crouching SK -> Head Butt, the repeated punches (see tip #3),
and throwing. In the first two cases there is little Rose can do but
block. The third can be anticipated, as Honda has to pause or walk a
bit forward to throw.
If you've thrown a Soul Spark too close, then Honda will likely use
his jumping FP/RK. There is little you can do about this except pray
that you can block the attack. Lesson: use the Soul Spark only in
combos or if Honda is very far away.
If you find yourself continually blocking Honda while he's in the air,
then my advise is this: get aggressive. Honda players will never jump
on an opponent unless they feel that he's a wuss. Use Rose' Soul Throw
once in while. It's not the greatest of moves but it can sure
demoralize you opponent if it hits.
If Honda jumps at you and doesn't attack, he has one thing in mind --
Ooichou Nage. If he hasn't attacked on his way down, he's going to use
his throw.
In closing:
The key to Honda is distance. Too many players fall into the mentality
of "Bah, once I get the timing of Honda's Head Butt, he's toast". This
is particulary true for Ryu/Ken players, who can't seem to get it in
their heads that Honda simply cannot be approached from the air if
he's "charged". The second pitfall Honda's opponents fall into is
the "oh, shit, he's coming, and none of my attacks are working !" --
then they start to panic and make serious mistakes. This can easily be
avoided by simply keeping you distance, lobbing Soul Sparks from far
away, then attacking him once he's lost his "charge".
* Rose Vs. Karin *
Threat
- moderate (Z) to high (V)
Common -ism
- Z (most common); V (most devastating)
Moves of note
- standing FP (Karin's infamous anti-air; she does an odd pose,
extending her hands to the front and rear; extremely large hit
area and good priority)
- standing FK (Karin hits with her knee then extends her foot;
the knee has very high priority and can be combo'd)
- Guren Ken, Hou Shou, Mujin Kyaku, etc. (combination of various
punches, elbows, and kicks)
- Ressen Ha (windmill punch; hits twice, both hits must be
blocked standing)
- Tsumuji-gari (hop then spin kick; must be blocked standing;
very fast for a top-down move)
- Arakuma Inashi (two knees to the midsection then a trip; long
ranged throw)
- Kanzuki-ryuu Shinpikaibyaku (Super Combo version of her Guren
Ken)
- Kanzuki-ryuu Kou'ou Ken (Super Combo version of her Ressen Ha;
Karin's air-juggling Super)
Karin, without a doubt, is the most overrated character in SFZ3. She
receives so much hype that I was beginning to think that she was the
ultimate character, particularly when I saw her V-ism combos that were
beginning to look like the infinite hits of the Marvel series. The
hype has gone down (thanks to V-ism Akuma/Ryu/Sakura), but she's still
ranked way up there.
Tip #1 -- Karin basics
Karin has four basic techniques: a) wait until the opponent does a
long-recovering move (such as a fireball) then deliver a vicious
combo; b) poke/throw; c) lure opponent in the air then smash him; d)
VC through an attack and then smash him.
Obviously, the best way to deny Karin of her first technique is to
avoid such moves as the Soul Spark/Soul Spiral altogether. The Soul
Spark can still be used occasionally, provided that it's used in a
combo or if Karin is very far away. Other moves that should be used
sparingly against Karin is Rose' Soul-piette, crouching RK, Soul
Throw, and Soul Reflect (which is pretty useless against Karin
anyway). Lesson: when fighting Karin, stick to quick attacks.
Tip #1.1 -- Z-ism Karin
Once your opponent realizes that you aren't letting yourself be
open to attack, he'll go for Karin's poking techniques. Despite
what numerous Karin FAQ's say to the contrary, she is not a good
poker (against Rose, anyway, who has much longer range). Karin
must be up close for her pokes to work effectively. If at any
time the Karin comes within range, poke back at her with a
crouching FK. Rose's crouching FK will snuff all of Karin's
attacks (except for Karin's crouching SP, which will trade hits
at close range, and Karin's Supers). Watch out for Karin's
Tsumuji-Gari and Ressen Ha, which have unusually high priority
and speed for moves that must be blocked standing. Remember: the
Ressen Ha hits twice. Karin's standing FK will beat all of Rose'
attacks at close range, so try to keep her farther away than
this.
Tip #1.2 -- V-ism Karin
Karin's VC's are noteworthy because of several things. First, she
has a Special throw (the Arakuma Inashi), which means she can use
off-the-ground throws. Second, she has far reaching ground and
aerial moves, which means she can chase after opponents being
knocked away. What these two points mean is that Karin has
_devastating_ VC's from _anywhere_, with a huge margin for
errors (courtesy of the Arakuma Inashi).
Play on the defensive while Karin still has a Super Combo Meter
charge. Weave in an out of your crouching FK range, but do _not_
stick out a crouching FK if you're within range. If you do, Karin
can VC through it and hit Rose while she's recovering. Stick out
a crouching FK if you're _outside_ its range, and crouching
JP/SP/SK if you're within range. The entire point here is not to
hit Karin, but to attack (and miss) then hope that Karin will do
a VC after you've already recovered from your move (thus wasting
her VC). There are two dangers to this technique. First, Karin
can VC then start her combo with one of her charging attacks
(such as the Guren Ken), nailing Rose even from afar. Lesson: you
may want to use crouching JP/SK exclusively rather than crouching
FK. Second, she may still VC even while you're blocking (with
repeated standing RK), which can really eat the guard meter.
Tip #1.1.1 -- the Zero Counter
Against V-ism Karin, learn to do this instinctively. The
moment you block Karin's VC, do a Zero Counter. Unlike most
V-ism character, with whom I suggest doing a Zero Counter
only when you guard is about to crash, it is imperative to
Zero Counter Karin, as she has the Arakuma Inashi to use
against blocking opponents.
Karin's only VC that doesn't need to be Zero Countered
immediately is her repeated standing RK. You can wait a bit
before Zero Countering, as Karin would be too far away to
use the Arakuma Inashi. Once your guard is about to crash of
Karin switches attacks, Zaro Counter.
BTW, is it possible to do a Ressen Ha --> Arakuma Inashi during
a VC ? I haven't been able to pull this off.
Under no circumstance should you jump at Karin if she has a Super
Combo Meter charge. She can simply VC through your attack, then
do a Arakuma Inashi --> combo when you land. Lesson: never get
close to Karin if she has a charge.
Once V-Karin loses her Super Combo meter, switch to offense.
Karin will try to charge up her meter with missed attacks
(particularly, missed throws). Instead of deliberately missing
pokes, get in close and hit her as often and as hard as you can.
Sometimes V-Karin players get reckless in their attempt to
recharge.
Karin's anti-air have reached legendary status. Her standing FP will
stop nearly any aerial attack. While it's theoretically possible for
Rose to beat Karin's standing FP (Rose' jumping SK can beat it
cleanly), the timing required to do so leaves Rose open to throws if
Karin decides to block instead. Also, Karin's Kanzuki-ryuu Kou'ou Ken
can also be used as anti-air if the opponent approaches her at a
certain angle. Lesson: if Karin's just standing there, it best not to
jump at her.
Karin can be jumped on safely on if she's been knocked down (unless
you're facing V-Karin). The standing FP can do little against an
already opponent on the way down. This is also true for the
Kanzuki-ryuu Kou'ou Ken, which will leave Karin open to attack if it
misses (which it usually does if used as a "get-up" move).
Tip #2 -- L-mode Karin
L-mode Karin does not many combos to boast with, but her throws
inflict 99% damage. Basically, if she gets a hold of Rose, you'll
lose.
When facing L-mode Karin, don't jump at all -- she'll try an aerial
throw. Stick to the ground and poke at her, keeping her at a distance.
Don't be tempted to do combos or do long-recovery moves if you can
help it. If she jumps, knock her out of the air with a crouching FP.
Once she lands, _immediately_ start poking again.
In closing:
Z-ism Karin is good, but not _that_ good. Just avoid getting caught by
her anti-air and poke at her. V-ism Karin is a nightmare. Try to lure
your opponent into doing a VC too far away to do much, absolutely
avoiding any of Rose slower moves. Once V-Karin's meter is depleted,
switch immediately to offense.
* Rose Vs. M. Bison (Vega in Japan) *
Threat
- low to moderate
Common -ism
- Z (I kinda like X, but his colors and Super suck; Z is much
more common and versatile; V ?)
Moves of note
- JP (Bison jabs high; used in combos; very good anti-air)
- SP/FP (another high punch; used to punish cross-ups)
- FK (a mid-section kick; his main poke)
- RK (a high kick; anti-air)
- crouching SP (a low punch; very good poke at close range; used
in combos)
- Psycho Shot (his fireball; very poor recovery, so is mainly
used from far away or in combos)
- Double Knee Press (he lunges forward for a 2-hit scissor kick;
the deeper the attack, the longer the recovery)
- Psycho Crusher (Bison flies, spinning; in Z-ism, this is a
Super Combo that is used to punish mistakes and jump-ins, as
it's rather unreliable in combos; in X-ism, this is used
as anti-air; rather powerful, but in X-ism the recovery is very
bad)
- Head Press (stomp on the head; extremely high priority, but is
vulnerable prior to the stomp itself)
- Teleport (his... teleport)
- Knee Press Nightmare (Super Combo version of his Double Knee
Press; anti-air; used in combos and confusion; good recovery)
Bison can hold his own against most characters, but loses badly when
facing Akuma or a V-ism character. Too bad, I kinda like his style.
Tip #1 -- Know his jump angle; when to Soul Spark
M. Bison jumps very high, far, and fast. You can safely throw him Soul
Sparks at a distance you normally wouldn't for other characters (as
he'll probably land behind Rose if he tried to jump over it). That
being said, be cautious with throwing Soul Sparks at a distance and
when Rose is in a corner.
Never nullify the Psycho Shot with a Soul Spark. Bison will do a Head
Press if you do. If Bison does a Psycho Shot assess how far he did it.
If he did it within your jumping attack range (unlikely) then jump in
and attack. _Don't_ wait for the Psycho Shot to get nearer -- jump
immediately. The Psycho Shot has lousy recovery. If Bison threw the
Psycho Shot from a distance (very likely) wait a bit, then jump
backward with a SK/FK (as if you're trying to airblock the Psycho
Shot). A Psycho Shot thrown from a distance is very likely to be
followed with a Head Press, and any attempt to jump forward will
likely fail. Alternatively, you can just block both attacks, but I'd
rather nail Bison in the air with a kick. Pausing and jumping backward
may not work if Rose' back is near a corner. If this is the case, skip
the pause and immediately jump forward and airblock. If Bison launched
the Psycho Shot at a pretty close distance, Soul Reflect it if you
can.
Tip #2 -- Jumping on Bison
This may not be a good idea. In fact, when I'm playing as Bison, I
love it when my opponent jumps on him. Bison has numerous anti-air
that are surprisingly effective, such as his JP and RK. Even his
Specials and Supers can be used as anti-air. Add his walking speed
and good throw range you've got a character that eats jumpers alive.
When you absolutely have to jump on Bison, do so with an early SK/FK,
in the hopes that it will "freeze" Bison into his blocking animation
(therefore he can't position better). An early SK/FK might also
out-prioritize some of his anti-air moves.
If you ever get hit in the air by Bison on the ground, _immediately_
air-recover and stick up a FP. I noticed that players struck out of
the air by Bison tend to forget to counter-attack (out of shock ?) in
the air and end up getting hit by another attack.
Tip #3 -- Bison on the ground
Bison is a poker, pure and simple. He walks fast and his attacks have
good range. Despite this, he's not a "weaver" (like Cammy). I think
he's prone to being stuck in his blocking animation (at least, that's
what it feels when I'm playing). He'll walk bravely forward, stick out
his FK to poke and use his crouching SP as a counter-poke. His
opponents often panic once their guard meter starts flashing, then
jump on him (a mistake) and end up being juggled in the air.
Remember: Bison has no top-down move. This is his greatest weakness in
the poking game. Simply crouch block, stick out Rose' SP or FK (which
can snuff his pokes, as well as preventing him from walking in and
throwing), and Bison has no recourse but to go for his long-range
confusion tactics.
A good Bison will never use his Double Knee Press or Slide as part of
his pokes. Be ready to deal out punishment if he does.
Tip #4 -- Bison in the air (normal moves)
Bison's aerial kicks are pretty nasty. If an opponent is in the air
with him, his SK will outprioritize most attacks. Lesson: when
jumping, use an early SK/FK; better yet, don't jump at all. His FK/RK
have high priority, but he'll never use them to attack a grounded
Rose unless she's left in the open (such as right after a Soul Spark)
-- Bison spends too much time in the air for a simple frontal jump-in
to work effectively (Dragon Punch Phobia ?). Lesson: don't throw Soul
Sparks within his jumping range (see Tip #1).
Tip #5 -- Bison in the air (Head Press)
Jump back and stick out a foot, unless you're in a corner. In a
corner, Rose can do very little against the Head Press. Jump forward
and air-block. Lesson: don't get cornered.
Tip #6 -- Bison confusion
Confusion 1: The Psycho Shot. Bison throws his Psycho Shot from a
distance, then follows it up with a jumping attack or a Head Press.
See tip #1 for details on this.
Confusion 2: Bison does a level 1 Knee Press Nightmare (KPN) that is
blocked. If Rose tries to attack after the KPN, Bison will immediately
follow-up with a Psycho Crusher. Lesson: keep an eye on his Super
Combo meter.
Confusion 3: Bison jumps... and lands somewhere totally unexpected
(such as behind Rose) then throws. Lesson: if Bison jumps, and, for
some reason, Rose is stuck in her blocking animation, Bison just tried
to land behind you with a Special move (an odd version of the Skull
Diver). Wait till he _almost_ lands, then attack, no matter what
direction Rose are facing. Rose will correct herself when Bison lands.
In closing:
Don't jump on him. Avoid corners, as Rose can't deal with the Head
Press there. Don't nullify his Psycho Shot with Soul Spark -- Bison
can follow-up. Know his jump range in order to know when to safely
throw him with a Soul Spark.
* Rose Vs. R. Mika *
Threat
- low
Common -ism
- Z
Moves of note
- crouching JP/SK/FK/RK (good priority)
- crouching SP (R. Mika jumps up with her head; anti-air; good
priority)
- crouching FP (R. Mika lunges with her shoulder; sneaky
all-around move with good priority)
- Flying Body Press (R.Mika jumps and spreads her arms wide;
deceptively tricky when used as a cross-up)
- Paradise hold (R.Mika tumbles toward you then slams you with
her thighs; slow but can be tricky to stop)
- Daydream Headlock (choke hold; very short range)
- Flying Peach (R. Mika flies through the air butt first)
- Heavenly Dynamite (R. Mika delivers several headbutts then
slams you)
- Rainbow Hip Rash (multiple forearms hits; long period of
invulnerability and unbelievable priority)
R. Mika players are almost always Zangief players who want to see if
they can use her successfully. Beginners also like using R. Mika
because even if they just mash buttons they'll likely hit their
opponent. R. Mika's Special Moves, however, "trip over" one another
(you want to do one thing and she ends up doing another), so even
though she's a viable character, but I don't think she'll ever see
much action.
Tip #1 -- Don't try to trade hits.
R. Mika's has aerial moves similar to Zangief, but R. Mika's have less
priority and duration. You can try anti-air moves that you wouldn't
use against Zangief but do be cautious because while R. Mika is less
effective in the air than Zangief she's still formidable. R. Mika's
Flying Body Press is a great cross-up move, so if she tries to jump
behind you make sure you block high, then immediately low (this might
sound rather obvious, but try fighting a good R. Mika and you'll see
what I mean). R. Mika's jumping FK has good priority, so I suggest
blocking it instead of trying to stop it in the air.
On the ground, R. Mika's moves are rather slow, but have long range
plus good priority and damage. Instead of trying to trade hits, simply
block her crouching JP/SK/FK then attack.
R. Mika's anti-air moves have good priority with proper timing. Don't
try to jump on her if she's just sitting there. Attack from the air
only if you've managed to knock her down and she's getting up.
Tip #2 -- Don't rely on your kicks; it won't stop the Paradise Hold
The Paradise Hold looks easy to stop. It is -- if you happen to be
Akuma/Ryu/Ken. Rose has a harder time, as her attacks sometimes pass
through R. Mika while she's tumbling. It seems that Rose' kicks have
the hardest time stopping the Paradise hold, so use her punches.
Tip #3 -- Watch out for that Flying Peach
There are two versions of this move. In the punch version, R. Mika
bounces her butt off the floor then heads toward you. In the kick
version, R. Mika flies directly toward you, then as rubs her behind as
she recovers. Both moves CAN go through projectiles (I've seen the
computer do it, but I can't do it myself).
The kick version isn't much of a danger. The recovery time is an
invitation to be hit. It's used only in combos. The punch version is
much more dangerous. It almost has no recovery time and is a perfect
setup for the Daydream Headlock, the Heavenly Dynamite, or a simple
throw. In order to avoid being set up by the Flying Peach you have to
be able to tell the difference between the punch and the kick version.
Remember: in the punch version she bounces off the ground. However, if
you can't tell the difference between the punch and kick versions,
here's another tip: jump away once you block the Flying Peach. If your
opponent isn't that fast, then you can try attacking with crouching
JPs after you block the Flying Peach. This tactic doesn't work very
well against better players, as they'll try to do the Rainbow Hip Rash
if you try to attack right after blocking (remeniscent of SFEX
tactics).
Tip #4 -- If you're feeling lazy...
Just sit there and poke at R. Mika with kicks. While R. Mika's attacks
have respectable priority, they're almost all meant to be for frontal
attacks (with the exception of her crouching SP) and not poking. Since
she has no projectile, there's little she can do against a poker.
In closing:
Turtle and poke.
* Rose Vs. Rolento *
Threat
- moderate to high
Common -ism
- Z/X (frankly, I'm not that impressed with V)
Moves of note
- JP/crouching JP (Rolento stabs with his baton; high priority
and he'll a couple of these in a row)
- jumping JP (looks like his crouching JP, but in the air; high
priority and used mainly to meet an aerial opponent)
- SP (Rolento turns his back then stabs his baton upward at an
angle; anti-air)
- crouching SP (he twirls his baton for three hits;
annoying; good priority)
- FP (he bangs his baton downward in an arc; anti-air and
occasionally a poke; hits twice)
- crouching FP (swings his baton downward; fast poke)
- standing RK (kicks like a mule; anti-air)
- Patriot Circle (twirls his baton for up to 11 hits; rarely used
outside of a sure-hit combo as it has a horrible recovery time;
learn when to spot this and make him pay)
- Mine Sweeper (Rolento rolls backward, leaving grenades;
anti-air)
- Fake Rod (a hop with his baton; Rolento might use this if
you've been poking him with crouching FK/RK -- it can hit Rose'
foot; not very damaging, but quite embarrassing)
- Stinger (Rolento jumps straight up a hurls a knife; an
annoyance tactic)
Tough match. Rolento's moves have a slightly better priority and range
than Rose, plus he can consistently deal damage if you mess up. And
then, once Rolento has the upper hand, he'll "turtle", rolling/jumping
away or sticking that damn baton defensively until time runs out.
Tip #1 -- Knowing Rolento's basic strategies.
Rolento's stand-off range is about the tip of his crouching FK. From
here he has several strategies.
Rolento will take a short step toward you, crouch, then stick a
JP/SP. The JP has high priority, and he can use it up to three times
before he uses another move. With X-ism Rolento, the standing JP will
hit crouching characters, so watch out. The crouching SP hits up to
three times, good range, is a major pain in the guard meter, and
causes dizziness rather rapidly if it hits. Once in a while he'll try
a crouching FK. Between these attacks he'll sometimes insert a JP
Patriot Circle (that spinning baton attack), especially if the
crouching FK hits. Good players will stop after two JP Patriot Circles
if you manage to block, since this will make Rolento recover at a safe
distance from almost any attack. The best players don't use the
Patriot Circle to poke at all. If your opponent is trying to crash
your guard (quite likely), he'll also mix up a standing/crouching FP.
If you try to jump, he'll try a standing FP if he's quick enough,
a standing RK if you're already too high and some distance
away, or a standing SP. His jumping JP is also a nuisance, and his
Mine Sweeper is pretty embarrassing if it hits.
Rolento has several moves that let him move quickly around the screen
(take a look at a Rolento FAQ for details on this). Rose, unless
Rolento is panicking, cannot keep up with these moves.
Tip # 2 -- So you know his moves. Now what ?
At first, keep close, preferably between the range of Rose crouching
SK/FK or closer. At this range Rose' and Rolento's attacks have the
same priority. If you get to the range of the tip of Rose crouching FK
Rolento's crouching SP/FP have too much an advantage. Get close and
poke at him with crouching attacks (see "creeping Rose"). Also, the
closer you are, the more safely you can use the Soul Spark. If Rolento
walks away, resist the urge to jump at him.
Rolento players will certainly go for the guard crash. As such, try to
stay away from corners as much as possible. Also, once Rolento manages
to wear away your Guard Meter with three or more hits try to get away
for a breather (usually by jumping back).
Tip # 3 -- Don't use the Soul Spiral if you're not sure it will hit;
use the Soul Spark only in combos.
I usually suggest poking with the JP Soul Spiral against non-
projectile characters. Against Rolento, the Soul Spiral is a bad
idea. If it misses, Rolento can quickly cross the distance.
Rolento has many anti-projectile moves. Do not poke him with the Soul
Spark, even if you're a full screen distance away. Just because Rose
and Rolento are on opposite ends of the screen does not mean he can't
reach you. Use the Soul Spark only in combos.
Tip # 4 -- Go for the aerial battle.
Jumping on Rolento while he's on the ground is only a good idea if
you're close enough for a cross-up. All of his anti-air assume that
his opponent is coming down at him from the front. Otherwise, resist
the temptation.
If Rolento jumps, for any reason, jump at him. Against Rose, this is
Rolento's most vulnerable point. Rolento's jumping attacks are the
bane of most opponents (particularly his jumping JP), this is not so
with Rose. Rose can outprioritize him with her jumping SK/FK. The only
way Rolento can consistently win an aerial exchange is he's currently
higher in the air. If this is the case, simply block the attack then
make him pay (Rolento's attacks often carry him farther forward and
downward faster most other characters, thus bringing him into striking
range after a blocked aerial attack).
Tip #5 -- Cornering Rolento
A cornered Rolento is a dead one. Once you've cornered Rolento keep
the pressure up with early jumping SK -> crouching attack. Never mind
his anti-air, as up close, the jumping SK can snuff them all, and the
jumping FK as cross up is nearly unstoppable. Sooner or later he'll
try the Delta Air Escape or High Jump and try to get behind Rose. See
tip #4. Watch out for the Minesweeper.
In closing:
Rolento moves fast and can really punish fireballers. Rose' best
approach is to try to outpoke him. Avoid jumping on Rolento unless
he's cornered or as a cross-up. Once Rolento's on the run he will
certainly take into the air, a place where Rose has an advantage.
* Rose Vs. Sagat *
Threat
-low
Not many people play Sagat. He is usually played similarly to
Akuma/Ryu/Ken, but his size, slow speed, and low priority
make him a lightweight character. His combos in V-ism, while
devastating and easy, simply don't make up for his vulnerabilities.
Rose can easily make mincemeat of Sagat. Although most of Sagat's
moves have long ranges, Rose pretty much out-prioritizes them all.
Sagat's Tiger Shot (both high and low) can easy be caught with Rose'
Soul Reflect. The Tiger Uppercut can be snuffed out by a jumping SK.
If Sagat's being defensive, poke at him with crouching SP/FK/RK or
Soul Sparks.
* Rose Vs. Sakura *
Threat
- high
Common -ism
- Z for beginners, V for experts
Moves of note
- crouching SP (Sakura delivers a low elbow; combo-able and can
swat extended limbs)
- <close> standing FP (Sakura delivers a two-handed uppercut;
watch out for this in V-ism)
- Enzuigeri (also known as "Flower Kick"; Sakura brings her foot
high for an arching overhead kick; must be blocked standing;
rather fast and very dangerous under V-ism)
- Shou'ou Ken (Sakura's rushing uppercut; low priority and slow
recovery, but a menace because of the damage it inflicts even
if blocked)
- Sakura Otoshi (Sakura jumps up in the air then brings her fists
down; must be blocked standing)
- Doshita (taunt that inflicts damage; Sakura giggles then points
her finger; rather high priority)
- Shinkuu Hadou Ken (Super Combo version of her fireball)
- Haru Ichiban (Super Combo version of her Hurricane kick; must
be blocked crouching)
- Midare Sakura (Super Combo version of her Shou'ou Ken; mostly
used in combos)
People used to play Sakura for the same reason as Dan: to goof around.
I'm not saying that she's a weak character. I'm saying that it takes a
lot of skill to win with Sakura fighting against a competent opponent.
And then V-ism Sakura was discovered. Ouch.
A good Sakura player _will not_ play like an Akuma/Ryu/Ken player.
Sakura's strength comes from her high priority moves, the poking game,
and her ability to deliver extremely powerful combos once one of her
attacks hit.
Tip #1 -- "Hey, Sakura, is that I _fireball_ I see ? Ha ha ha ha !" or
"Hey, you missed your Hurricane ! Die !"
If anyone has noticed, I did not include Sakura's Hadouken (fireball)
and Shunpuu Kyaku (Hurricane kick) in the "move of note" list above.
These moves suck. No kidding. All of them have hideous recovery times
and are only useful in combos. If your Sakura opponent even _tries_
to use any of these moves other than in combos then you can pretty
much assume your opponent is only goofing around with Sakura -- go
win with ease.
Seriously, good Sakura players will use these moves only in combos or
if they're baiting you for a VC. Don't expect to be able to use Rose'
level 3 Aura Soul Throw through a fireball against these players.
Tip #1.1 -- "Ouch, that wasn't a fireball after all..."
In an environment full of Akuma/Ryu/Ken players, its easy to fall
into trying to second-guess them. Players train themselves to be
fast enough to jump over a ARK's fireball and attack him while
he's recovering. This does not necessarily apply to Sakura.
Sakura's Shinkuu Hadou Ken is amazingly hard to jump over, so
avoid the temptation of jumping at Sakura as soon as you see her
wind up for her super fireball.
Tip #1.2 -- "Ouch, you dirty rat..."
Once in a while, Sakura will do a Shunpuu Kyaku then
_deliberately_ miss. This happens most often if you've been
knocked down. The Sakura player is trying to fool you into
attacking, at which time Sakura will unleash a Haru Ichiban or
Midare Sakura. If you don't attack, Sakura will try a throw.
Lesson: while the Shunpuu Kyaku is worthless in itself, its a
good setup move. Lesson: learn the distances of Sakura's Shunpuu
Kyaku and you'll never be fooled by it.
Tip #2 -- Sakura on the ground; the poking game
Sakura on the ground means that your opponent is planning to use her
poking attacks, which include her standing FK/RK, crouching
SP/SK/FK/RK, and the Enzuigeri.
Unfortunately for Rose, Sakura is better in the poking game. It may
look like Rose has a _slight_ advantage in range, but most of Sakura's
moves have higher priority and once she closes that tiny
range difference...
If you decide to poke back at Sakura, then Rose' best moves are
crouching JP/SP/FK/RK. Rose' crouching JP/SP which will snuff Sakura's
_if_ only the tip of Rose' fist connects (otherwise they will trade
hits). Rose' punches will not stop any of Sakura's kicks. Rose'
crouching FK/RK will stop Sakura's standing FK/RK if timed correctly,
but will trade hits or be snuffed by Sakura's crouching kicks. Lesson:
you can poke back at Sakura, but don't count on it.
I've found that the best way to deal with a poking Sakura is to make
your opponent commit to a slow move (such as Sakura's standing/
crouching RK) then jump in or do a level 3 Aura Soul Throw. Weave in
and out of Sakura's RK range, then jump in with an attack once she
sticks her foot out, Remember: move in and out of Sakura's RK range
and not any closer -- Sakura can deliver a nasty combo if you're
hit by so much as a SK.
Go easy on the Soul Spiral. Don't use it to poke. Sakura's can easily
catch Rose as she's recovering from it.
Tip #3 -- Rose in the air; importance of proper distance
Although Sakura has a plethora of moves that can stop an aerial
attack, only a few of them are effective against Rose.
Sakura's crouching FP can stop most aerial attacks if timed correctly,
but most of Rose' attacks will snuff it (also with correct timing).
The JP Shou'ou Ken is invulnerable in the first frames of animation
and can be used against aerial attacks. Theoretically. I haven't seen
anyone use it properly. The Midare Sakura is also seen time to
time (especially as a "wake-up" move), but because it inflicts so
little damage against jumping opponents its rarely used as anti-air.
An anti-air tactic that Sakura players sometimes use is to jump and
meet the opponent mid-air with a FP/FK. In particular, Sakura's
jumping FP has slightly higher priority and damage that Rose' attacks,
but has severely limited range. Rose can use her jumping FK and beat
Sakura's jumping FP provided that only Rose' shin or foot hits Sakura.
Lesson: when jumping at Sakura, use a FK but pretend you're trying to
hit with a SK.
If you're jumping at Sakura from outside the range mentioned above,
always make sure to stick out a "deep" FK, which cannot be stopped by
most of Sakura's attacks (but can be painful if you make a mistake).
Sakura's walking speed is formidable, and there are players who take
advantage of this by walking towards an opponent (who jumped forward
without attacking or one who attacked early) and throwing.
Go easy on the cross-ups. While Rose may use her jumping FK
effectively as a cross-up against most other characters, Sakura is
small enough and fast enough to simply walk under it and attack Rose
from behind.
Tip #4 -- Sakura in the air
As mentioned earlier, Sakura's jumping attacks have a higher priority
than Rose' attacks. If Sakura jumping on top of you (usually with a
FP/FK) then block or do a level 1/2 Aura Soul Throw. Rose' other
anti-air moves can be snuffed out by Sakura.
If you can do a Soul Throw against a Jumping Sakura, then well and
good. If you decide to block, Sakura will then do
a) multiple crouching JP/SP/SK -> Hadouken. You can try to attack with
a crouching FK/RK just before the Hadouken (since it can be rather
slow)
b) crouching JP/SP/SK -> Enzuigeri. Sakura's "flower kick" is rather
fast, but its easy to spot because Sakura screams and flashes her
underwear. Anything in Rose' arsenal will stop it, provided you react
fast enough.
c) crouching JP/SK -> crouching FK/RK. In my opinion, this is Sakura's
best combo when blocked. Her crouching FK has fast recovery and will
leave her within optimum range for poking. Once you block the
crouching FK, get away by jumping back or poke with a crouching RK
(hoping that Sakura won't do a Midare Sakura or Haru Ichiban). If your
opponent is doing this combo, you can be sure that he's keeping an eye
on your Guard Meter.
d) throw. Wow. Sakura players love to throw because of her ground
speed. Not much I can say about this except to expect it and do a
crouching JP or throw also.
e) crouching SK -> Sakura Otoshi. Usually only attempted if Rose' back
is against a corner (see tip #5).
Go easy on the Soul Spark. Sakura's jumping RK is angled similarly to
Ken's jumping FK -- it's meant to catch fireballing opponents as they
recover. Throw Soul Sparks at Sakura only at far ranges or as part of
combos.
Meet Sakura in the air only if you have range on your side. The closer
Sakura and Rose are in the air, the more like that Sakura will win the
exchange of blows.
Tip #5 -- Watch out for the Sakura Otoshi
In the Sakura Otoshi, Sakura jumps up a short distance then brings her
fists down (looks like her jumping FP). In my opinion, this move is a
distraction from her Shou'ou Ken, but there are some players who have
discovered its applications.
The Sakura Otoshi must be blocked standing. Used properly, this is the
_fastest_ overhead in SFZ3. Typical pattern: crouching SK -> SK Sakura
Otoshi. It can also hit an opponent up to three times in the air,
_without_ being able to air-recover (again, only if used properly).
I've heard that it can also swat fireballs.
There's not much Rose can do about a properly timed Sakura Otoshi
except to anticipate it and block standing or do a level 2/3 Aura Soul
Throw. It's a good thing this damn move is hard to do.
Tip #6 -- Keep your cool
Sakura's Doshita is a taunt that does damage. It has short range
but can be used against aerial opponents. It's main use, though, is
not as an attack, but as psych-out. Don't get angry even if it hits
Rose then your opponent says "Hey, that was worth the game -- I can
lose now !".
Tip #7 -- V-ism Sakura
Agh. Horror of horrors. If you thought poking at Sakura was hard
enough, wait 'till you get a whiff of V-ism Sakura. V-Sakura adds her
<close> standing FP to her arsenal of pokes. This move is extremely
long-ranged, cancellable, and can be used as anti-air when timed
properly. It effectively nullifies any chance of poking at Sakura with
anything other than a crouching FK.
V-ism Sakura has a nasty guard crash combo (<slose> standing FP ->
Shunpu Kyaku] repeat). This only works well in corners, though.
Lesson: don't get cornered against a V-ism Sakura. If Sakura attempts
this and Rose is midscreen, simply block the Shunpu Kyaku then hit
back.
Another nasty Sakura VC is her [<close> standing FP -> Shunpu Kyaku]
repeat juggle. Fortunately, this combo has to be preceeded by a
Shou'ou Ken, and Sakura has very limited means of landing _that_:
Landing the Shou'ou Ken, method 1. If both Sakura and Rose are on the
ground, Sakura has to be standing pretty damn close in order to land
the Shou'ou Ken -- all of the Shou'ou Ken's hits must connect in order
to start the VC. Lesson: don't get _that_ close.
Method 2. As anti-air. Don't jump on Sakura if she has a Super Combo
Meter charge. She can simply VC through your attack, hit Rose with the
Shou'ou Ken, then start the juggle. This, I think, is most common way
to start Sakura's juggle.
Method 3. As anti-turtler. Sakura will start the VC, do an Enzuigeri
-> Shou'ou Ken, then start the juggle. Lesson: once Sakura starts the
VC, crouch-block but watch for the Enzuigeri.
Method 4. As anti-anti-air. Sakura will jump on you, the activate the
VC when your try an anti-air (such as a crouching FP or level 1/2 Aura
Soul Throw), land the Shou-ken, then start the juggle. Lesson: just
block -- even if Sakura doesn't have a Super Combo Meter charge she's
better in the air than Rose is at counter-attacking her.
If you're on the ground, blocked an aerial attack from Sakura, then
she activates her VC, it's a safe bet that she _can't_ do Method 1 and
will instead try Method 2, a corner crusher, or a mixture of the two.
If you can't react fast enough when Sakura goes for the Enzuigeri, I
suggest block standing up, never mind if Sakura can get her crouching
kicks in. As I've said, she has to be pretty damn close to start her
VC from Method 1, and if she tries to do crouching kicks she won't be
able to start her juggle VC properly.
Sakura's juggle VC is most dangerous when she's in a corner. Sakura
may try to play defensively to lure you into jumping at her, then pop
you with Method 2. If Sakura's Super Combo Meter is full, try to keep
the battle mid-screen and don't let Sakura or Rose be cornered.
When being juggled by Sakura's VC, actively attempt to air recover,
especially when you've reached the corner. Sakura's VC is harder to
pull off consistently that other characters with juggle VC, so always
try to get away.
In closing:
Sakura is not an ARK clone. This is the biggest mistake anyone fighter
her can assume. She a poker/guard crasher, but don't underestimate her
ability to deliver extremely damaging combos. Use Rose slight range
advantage. Against V-ism Sakura, try not to jump at her too often and
avoid corners like the plague.
* Rose Vs. Sodom *
Threat
- low
Common -ism
- X/Z (but I think V is his best)
Moves of note
- crouching SP (only dangerous with X-ism Sodom; long ranged,
damaging poke)
- crouching FP (only dangerous with X-ism Sodom; nasty poke and
anti-air)
- Jigoku Scrape (Sodom thrusts his jitte/katana; various uses,
none of which it does well; mentioned here because it
can be used in "ticks")
- Butsumetsu Buster (Sodom jumps up and grabs; slow and
predictable; immune to attacks low on the ground, such as
crouching kicks)
- Daikyou Burning (Sodom lunges forward then drags his
opponent across the screen; slow, so slow; large damage if it
hits..._if_ )
- Tengu Walking (Sodom rushes across the screen using his
jitte/katana; must be blocked crouching; good recovery; used in
"ticks")
- Meido no Miyage (Super Combo version of the Jigoku Scrape; can
be used as anti-air; juggles)
- Ten Chuu Satsu (Super Combo version of the Butsumetsu Buster;
similar in all respects but inflicts massive damage)
Sorry, I can't provide a lot of anti-Sodom tactics, mainly because I
haven't met any good SFZ3 Sodom players. He was more playable in SFZ2.
It's been said that V-ism Sodom is tournament material (mainly because
of his nasty VC's), but once his Super Combo Meter is depleted he's
meat.
Tip #1 -- Sodom, the comboless wonder
The moment you block any attack from Sodom, immediately do a crouching
SP (see "Frozen Rose"). Sodom is so slow that only he only has one
reliable combo -- crouching FP -> RK Daikyo Burning/Jigoku Scrape.
Everything else is blockable, and you can sneak in fast attacks.
Tip #2 -- Sodom, master of ticks
Sodom has couple of ticks he might try:
Jugoku Scrape/Tengu Walking/Meido no Miyage -> Bustsumetsu
Buster/Daikyo Burning/Throw.
In order to avoid this, see tip #1
Tip #3 -- Sodom, the guy who can't do squat about "turtles"
If you're feeling lazy, try sitting in a corner and wait for Sodom to
come after you. If Sodom tries anything on the ground, poke with
crouching attacks (also see tip #1). If he jumps on top of Rose, you
can use the crouching FP, Soul Throw, or Aura Soul Throw to thwart
him. In fact, the only moves to watch out for is the Butsumetsu Buster
and Ten Chuu Statsu, both which Rose' crouching SP will stop.
Tip #4 -- Sodom, the guy who can't handle pokes
If you're feeling frisky, try treating Sodom like Ken in training mode
and start poking at him as if he were a block of wood. Sodom's Regular
moves suck so badly you can practically do anything to him.
Tip #5 -- V-Sodom, the only Sodom to worry about
The only Sodom worth playing, but also the rarest seen. V-Sodom has
but two VC's, but they're enough. The repeated Jigoku Scrape can work
as both as guard crusher and damage dealer from anywhere in the
screen. Unlike Z/X-ism, you _cannot_ be lazy with V-Sodom. V-Sodom
eats turtlers alive. You can't poke him either -- he'll just VC
through your poke and start to bash Rose around. I haven't seen his
other VC (repeated OTG Butsumetsu Buster) so I can't comment on it.
When facing V-Sodom, your first priority is to let him lose his
Super Combo Meter. Since poking won't do any good, the best approach
would be to attack him repeatedly from the air. Rose pretty much
outprioritizes Sodom from the air, but he may try to trade hits, so
think a bit. Sooner or later he'll try to activate a VC to let Rose
through, then start the repeated Jigoku Scrape. Block the Scrapes
until your Guard is about to crash or 50% of his Super Combo Meter is
left, the do a Zero Counter. With his Super Combo Meter gone he's now
vulnerable to just about anything you want.
In closing:
Turtle and poke.
* Rose Vs. Vega (Balrog in the Japan) *
Threat
- moderate
Common -ism
- V (Z if your opponent is playing Low-guard mode)
Moves of note
- all of Vega's crouching attacks (long-ranged stabbing pokes;
low priority but fast)
- Rolling Crystal Flash (also known as "Rolling Claw"; Vega rolls
with his claw)
- Scarlet Terror (Vega somersaults forward; anti-air; V-ism only)
- Barcelona Attack (Vega jumps off a wall then claws at the
opponent's head)
- Izna Drop (Vega jumps off a wall, grabs his opponent, then
slams him)
- Backflip (Vega... backflips; brief invulnerability)
- Kabe Hari Tsuki (also known as "Wall Climb"; Vega scales the
wall; Vega stage only)
- Sankaku Tobe (also known as "Wallspring"; Vega bounces off the
wall at the height of his jump)
- Rolling Izna Drop (Super Combo version if the Izna Drop)
- Rolling Barcelona Attack (Super Combo version of the Barcelona
Attack)
- Scarlet Mirage (Super Combo version of the Scarlet Terror)
- Red Impact (Vega stabs his opponent, throw him in the air, then
stabs again)
The poker from hell. Vega pokes until his life bar is greater than
yours then proceedes to run around the ring avoiding you.
Tip #1 -- Stay in Vega's face.
Vega's primary strength is his speed and range. His priority sucks.
Although its possible to hit him as he extends his claw, its better to
simply get close to him and attack. I suggest jumping FP/SK/FK/RK ->
crouching JP/SK -> crouching FK. Repeat. As his Guard Meter diminishes
your opponent will panic and try to get away.
Whenever Vega jumps, jump at him with a FK/RK. However, once Vega's
cornered then he jumps back... (see Tip #3)
So why not do a 2-in-1 after the jumping attack ? Why never more than
three attacks ? Keeping Vega in a crouching position is a bad idea.
You want to keep Vega alternating from a crouching and standing
position, defending against an aerial attack and never being able to
charge down. That is, never let him get the opportunity to use the Sky
High Claw, Barcelona Attack, the Izna Drop, and his Super Combos. And
why is this ? These attacks let Vega get away, creating distance
between himself and Rose. Not only that, some Vega players are good
enough to connect with these attacks. Rose, lacking a Dragon Punch,
has very little defense against them. Her crouching FP may protect her
from the Izna drop, but may trade hits with the Barcelona Attack.
Also, I think Scarlet Terror is nullified if you keep forcing Vega to
block standing. The command for the Scarlet Terror is listed as charge
back -> forward -> kick. In my experience, it feels more like charge
down-back -> forward -> kick. Therefore, keeping Vega standing means
he won't be able to use his most effective anti-air at all. I'm not
sure of this, though.
Tip #2 -- Don't use Rose' FP, RK or Soul Spiral
Avoid temptation. Rose' standing/crouching FP/RK as well as the Soul
Spiral recover too slowly, a serious handicap when fighting Vega, who
will likely poke you with a crouching SP if you miss in any of these
moves. Even the Soul Spark and her Super Combos are risky. Rely
instead on Regular moves.
Tip #3 -- Watch that wallspring
A favorite tactic of Vega players when being cornered is to back into
the wall, jump backwards, then at the height of the jump wallspring
behind their opponent. Luckily, Rose has both the range and the speed
to follow him. Whenever you have Vega in a corner, jump at him (as in
tip #1). When he jumps back, expect the wallspring. Instead of jumping
after him, however, walk towards him. Jumping will only put you in a
less than ideal position. Vega's wallspring has an effect of keeping
his back towards you, making his attacks worthless. If all goes well,
he'll land in front of Rose with his back turned. Unfortunately, he'll
still be able to block (ask Capcom why this is so). Nail him with a
couple of crouching FK to take a chunk out of his guard meter, then
jump at him again.
Tip #4 -- Non-turtle Vegas
Ocassionaly you'll come across a Vega that's agressive, relying on
their crouching attacks to keep the pressure up. A typical pattern is
a jumping SP/FP -> crouching SK -> crouching FK -> (pause) ->
jump/crouching SP. Attack during the pause, and the crouching SP will
get you. Whenever you try to jump, they'll nail you with a crouching
FP. Block too long and your guard will crash or they'll try a Special
or a Super Combo, moves which Rose can't defend effectively against.
The simplest (but not the easiest) way to get out of this trap is to
trade hits while Vega's on the ground. Wait for the opponent to come
close (just inside the range of his claw or right after blocking the
jumping attack), then use your own crouching JP/SP. If you win the
exchange or they block the attack, try to combo into a Soul Spark to
push him away, then jump on him. If Rose and Vega trade hits, you have
a slight advantage as Rose inflicts slightly higher damage (this
assumes, of course, than Vega is not X-ism) and you also create some
distance.
You can always try to use the Zero Counter to get out of Vega's trap.
Watch out though -- if he can trap you once, he will certainly try to
do it again, so try to turn the fight into your favor immediately.
Tip #5 -- If Vega's jumping, and you're on the ground, look out.
Due to Vega's angle of attack and speed, Rose loses most of her
priority when Vega is in the air attacking and she's on the ground.
Good Vega players know this, and capitalize on it by constantly
jumping on Rose with an attack followed by a ground barrage (see tip
#4). Rose pratically has no reliable anti-air move against Vega. Her
Soul Throw and level 1/2 Aura Soul Throw are unlikely to hit, and her
crouching FP, at best, trade hits. Lesson: be also in the air whenever
Vega jumps, then stick out an attack.
Fortunately, no matter how good a Vega player is, Vega was not
designed to be a combo machine. Almost all Vega players will fail to
combo properly after a blocked aerial attack. Take advantage of this
fact. The moment you block their jumping attack retaliate with
crouching SP/FK -> Soul Spark. This may trade hits, though, but it's
unlikely that you will lose the exchange. Most Vega players will be
able to block, but at least there's some distance between the two of
you, and you can now punish him.
Another common Vega pattern is jump-in FP -> jump-up FP. Vega players
do consecutive jumping attacks in the hopes that they'll catch their
opponent crouch-blocking or blocking in the wrong direction (Vega's
airspeed and long reach justify this). You can try trading hits with a
crouching FP, but it's probably better not to let this situation
happen in the first place. Lesson: keep up the pressure.
Tip #6 -- Watch out for Vega's anti-airs
Vega has three consistent anti-air moves: the crouching FP, the
Scarlet Mirage, and the Scarlet Terror. He has other moves that can
hit aerial characters, but they're not as effective as these three.
The crouching FP is effective only if he's successfully pulled off a
trap (see tip #4). If Rose has been cornered Vega's crouching FP is a
real threat. Vega can nail Rose early in her jump. The crouching FP,
however, is not as useful against a character already on the way down
with an attack and is completely useless against opponents already on
top of him. Lesson: never let Vega dominate the game -- keep on the
offensive.
The Scarlet Terror is only available to V-ism Vega. Don't worry about
it though, as it doesn't inflict that much damage, has about equal
priority to Rose' attacks, notoriously difficult to get the timing of
(it can be air-blocked if used improperly). If you air-block the
Scarlet Terror, immediately walk forward, then do a crouching SP/FK ->
Soul Spark (or any other nasty combo). You can also try jumping at
Vega just outside the range of the Scarlet Terror, then stick out a
SK/FK just in case he'll try a crouching FP.
The Scarlet Mirage is only available to Z-ism Vega. The Scarlet Mirage
has a much higher priority than the Scarlet Terror, but inflicts less
damage than what you would expect from a Super Combo. If your opponent
insists on using the Scarlet Mirage, let him. Just take the damage
then get back on his face again.
Tip #7 -- V-ism Vega
V-ism Vega has several easy, repetitive Variable Combos.
The first is the repeating crouching RK, which can drain a lot from
the Guard Meter and push Rose into a corner. The best response to this
is to _let yourself be hit_. The crouching RK will cause Rose to fall
(and therefore making Vega miss). As you get up, do a "wake-up" Super
Combo (if you can) or crouching SK (Vega can't block and he has poor
priority).
The next is the repeating Rolling Crystal Flash, which is extremely
damaging and drains a lot of Guard Meter when blocked. Fortunately,
this can only be used effectively when you've been pushed into a
corner. If Vega tries this away from a corner, you can poke at him
with a crouching SP even as he's rolling.
You can try a Zero Counter to get away from the Variable Combo. If you
do so, remember to immediately attack when you land from the hop (in
Z-ism). Unlike most tactics which suggest using a Zero counter
only when your guard is about to crash, it's imperative to use the
Zero Counter when you're about to reach a corner. Once in a corner
the repeated Rolling Crystal Flash inflicts way to much damage to
allow to continue for long.
Tip #8 -- Turtling
Though my main advise in fighting Vega is to be aggressive, it is
possible to turtle against him. Go into a corner and keep on jumping
backward with an attack. Due to his poor priority, he may have a hard
time trying to hit Rose.
Tip #9 -- L-mode Vega (arcades only, not PSX)
L-mode Vega inflicts 99% damage with his Izna Drop and Red Impact.
As such, L-mode Vega is often Z-ism. Keep in mind that L-mode has a
very short Guard Meter, so keep on attacking Vega from the air and
never give him the chance to use the Izna Drop. The Red Impact is a
bit harder to deal with. As long as Vega has a level 3 charge, don't
poke at him, and don't jump on him from a distance -- just try to keep
on top of him.
In closing:
Vega's fast, but his priority really sucks. The best he can do is to
try to confuse you. Keep up the pressure and he'll fold.
* Rose Vs. Zangief *
Threat
- moderate to high
Common -ism
- all of 'em (Z/X may look painful at first, but wait till you
get a blast from V)
Moves of note
- crouching JP (very fast knife hand; longest ranged jab next to
Dhalsim's)
- crouching SP (upward punch; good anti-air at medium range;
worthless up close or against cross-ups)
- FP/crouching FP (long ranged moves, incredible damage; very low
priority)
- crouching/standing SK (low kicks; not powerful, but used often
in ticks)
- standing FK (fast waist high kick with decent range, priority
and recovery)
- Russian Kick (Zangief stretches out his foot; very long range;
slow; low priority; causes knockdown)
- Body Splash (Zangief jumps and spreads his arms wide; excellent
priority and covers a wide area; powerful all-around move)
- Double Knee Press (Zangief jumps up and lands knee first; not
that damaging but good priority)
- Spinning Clotheline (Zangief spins in with arms flailing; very
damaging and hits up to three times; mostly used as anti-air
and anti-fireball; invulnerable torso; fast and slow versions
exist, but the distinctions between the two are not that
important to Rose)
- Spinning Piledriver/Siberian Suplex/Siberian Bear Crusher/Final
Atomic Buster (Zangief's various throws; he has others; after
reading this strategy guide you shouldn't need to tell the
difference between them -- just avoid them altogether)
- Banishing Punch (a glowing backfist; tons of uses)
- Aerial Russian Slam (Zangief jumps up and slams an aerial
oppenent; not that accurate, but watch out if you're cornered)
Zangief is my primary character and it pains me to cook up ways to
defeating him. However, this is a Rose strategy guide, so here we go.
Tip # 1 -- How to jump on Zangief; know how to deal with Zangief's
Spinning Clothesline; go for the guard break
Most people, once they have taken a beating from the Spinning
Clothesline, are reluctant to approach Zangief from the air. That move
can handle almost any aerial attack, especially from those aspiring to
do a combo.
The secret in dealing with the Spinning Clothesline is this -- don't
go for a combo. When you jump at Zangief use a FK and make sure that
only the bottom tip of Rose' leg connects with his head. In other
words, if you're going to jump on Zangief, aim for the hair on his
head -- land the jumping FK as early as safely possible. The Spinning
Clothesline is useless against this. Once the jumping FK connects,
blocked or not, immediately do several crouching JP, even before Rose'
feet touch the ground. Why is this ? Once your opponent realizes that
you're attacking early, he'll try one of his grabs, particularly the
Spinning Piledriver or Final Atomic Buster, once you land. The JP is
fast enough to prevent this from happening. Remember: start jabbing
even before your feet touch the ground. After a couple of JPs, blocked
or not, push Zangief bac farther with crouching SK -> crouching FK ->
SK Soul Spiral/Soul Spark. Remember: if you use the Soul Spiral its
important to make sure the tip of it touches Zangief, otherwise you'll
pay.
What's the point of this entire exercise ? As I've said, the Spinning
Clothesline is effective against jumping characters. If you try to go
for a deep aerial attack and Zangief isn't dizzy or otherwise
incapacitated the Spinning Clothesline will stop it. Going for quick,
light attacks will crash his guard sooner or later. It will also
demoralize your opponent, as the Soul Spiral/Soul Spark will leave
Zangief too far away to do anything.
Zangief players will usually choose the Spinning Clothesline is their
primary anti-air. Once they realize it isn't working they'll try to
use the crouching SP. The crouching SP has decent priority and will
knock Rose out of the air, provided that the her torso will land
approximately at the tip of his fist. Jump at Zangief nearer this
range, and the the crouching SP will miss. Jump at Zangief farther out
from this range, and you'll trade hits. Once Zangief starts using the
crouching SP you can either jump in from a slightly closer distance or
start using jumping SK (as it SK doesn't leave as much of Rose' torso
exposed while in the). Again, if you're jumping at Zangief, aim for
his hair then follow up links. SK -> crouching FK -> SK Soul
Spiral/Soul Spark. Unfortunately, the jumping SK has a trickier timing
than the jumping FK, since Zangief can recover from a hitstun/
blockstun from it rather quickly. If you miscalculate, you'll end up
in a grab of some sort after Zangief blocks.
Do not even try to cross-up Zangief if you manage to knock him down or
if he's crouching. The Spinning Clothesline will stop you. Crossing-up
Zangief is pretty safe if he's just standing there, doing nothing.
Again, even if you try a cross-up, aim for his hair.
Another of Zangief's anti-air moves is the Body Splash. The only way
for Rose to win in aerial battle with Zangief's Body Splash is is she
happens to be at a higher position when they trade hits. Even then,
Rose will still probably take damage, and if its X-ism Zangief Rose is
facing you should try another tactic other than jumping (the damage
X-ism Zangief inflicts borders on the obscene).
Jumping on V-ism Zangief is a very hazardous proposition, since he
has a 70% anti-air VC (see tip #9). Jump on V-ism Zangief _only_ if he
has no Super Combo Meter charge.
Zangief has other anti-air moves, such as the Rising Headbutt (Zangief
jumps straight up and headbutts -- very powerful), standing RK (slow,
piddly damage), his standing/crouching FP, the Banishing Punch, and
the Aerial Russian Slam. These attacks may be a nuisance, but in
general they aren't consistent enough to be a threat.
Tip #1.1 -- Jumping on Zangief and going for the combo
This totally goes against what I've said in tip #1.
While it's usually suicidal to try to land a "deep" aerial attack
against Zangief because of his Spinning Clothesline, its not
impossible. With the right timing, Rose can land an aerial attack
_through_ the Spinning Clothesline and hit him at about stomach
level (which, for some reason, is invulnerable from ground-based
attacks but not from aerial attacks). To do this you have to use
an aerial move with a more vertical than horizontal hit area,
such as FP.
This risky tactic has two justifications: a) demoralize the
Zangief player; b) the Spinning Clothesline can be tricky to do
in the arcades (sometimes Zangief will go into his "missed throw"
animation). Otherwise, stick to sure thing and hit the top of his
head instead of landing deep.
Tip #2 -- Dealing with the Body Splash and other aerial nastiness;
reasons to keep your Super Combo meter full; avoiding the Spinning
Piledriver version 1.00
What if you're on the ground, within jumping range, then Zangief
jumps on you, maybe with a Body Splash or a Double Knee Press or even
nothing at all ?
Zangief players are confident on jumping on Rose, as her only
consistent defense against moves like an early Body Splash is a level
2/3 Aura Soul Throw. Rose' crouching FP will trade hits with the
Body Splash, and the Double Knee Press can beat it cleanly. Lesson:
save your Super Combo meter not for a grounded Zangief, but for one
that's jumping on Rose. The point here is to make your opponent think
twice before jumping on her Rose. Once you demonstrate your ability to
intercept the Body Splash with a level 2 Aura Soul Throw (I suggest
using level 2 only, since level 3 might cause Rose to miss) Zangief
players will be discrouraged.
But what if you aren't skilled enough to use an Aura Soul Throw that
fast ? Or what if you've used up your Super Combo meter ? Or what if,
despite being knocked out of the air, Zangief still jumps at you ?
As I've mentioned, Zangief is confident on jumping on Rose. They'll
jump on her, counting on you to try to block whether or not they
actually attack. Once you do, Zangief's mind games begin. Will he
suddenly do a Spinning Pile Driver ? Maybe he'll do a SK first. Or
maybe he'll do a SK -> Banishing Punch -> Final Atomic Buster ? If
you read through the various Zangief character guides entire sections
are dedicated to landing a Spinning Piledriver right after a jumping
attack. Or tricking the opponent into jumping into an Aerial Russian
Slam. These mind games are necessary to Zangief because his throws
will never combo -- they can be jumped over, no matter how good the
Zangief player. What I am about to tell you, however, lets you skip
these Zangief tricks and effectively wipe out about a third of
Zangief's offensive capabilities.
If Zangief jumps at you then jump back.
It's as simple as that. If Zangief is flying towards you with a Body
Splash then jump back and air block. You do not want to be anywhere
near Zangief once he's on the ground -- too many nasty things can
happen, especially if you've been cornered. Jumping back creates
distance he has to regain and completely avoides nearly all his mind
games.
Jump back as fast as you can and don't wait for Zangief to reach the
apex of his jump before deciding to jump back. React too slow and
Zangief can hit Rose on her way up.
Tip #2.1 -- "You shouldn't have let Zangief come that close in
the first place !"; the ground battle
The necessity for tip #2 can be avoided by simply not being
within Zangief's jump distance in the first place. This tip is
appropriately numbered 2.1 because it's meant to be used by
faster characters and not Rose. Rose can still make use of it for
short periods within a match.
Try to keep the battle midscreen and do your best to avoid being
cornered. Weave in and out and keep the battle at the range of
beyond the tip of Rose' crouching RK, never really coming closer.
From this distance, poke at Zangief with moves other than
crouching RK, Soul Spiral/Spark, or even Soul-piette. Miss
intentionally (which you probably will, considering the
distance). Zangief will do three things: a) poke back (see tip
#7), possibly doing his version of "Creeping Rose"; b) jump; c)
Banishing Punch in attempt to get closer (see tip #5).
If Zangief jumps toward Rose then walk back then do a crouching
RK as Zangief lands. Only the tip of Rose' foot should connect.
Any closer, and Zangief will grab Rose off her legs (Zangief can
do a Spinning Piledriver or Final Atomic Buster at about the
distance of Rose' knees) as he lands. The idea here is not to
sweep Zangief off his feet (although it's good if it does) but to
wear away his guard meter. A blocked crouching RK should push him
back into the proper distance.
Tip #3 -- You've been cornered.
If you've been cornered, the jump back strategy changes a bit. Instead
of avoiding Zangief's aerial attack you have to air-block it. Right
after you airblock Zangief's attack (only possible if you reacted
to the Zangief's jump fast enough), even before you touch the
ground, check the distance at which the two of you will fall. If
you're within any of your crouching kick ranges (but outside his
piledriver range) then start attacking even before touching ground so
that your foot will stick out as soon as you land, and then
immediately combo into a Soul Spark to push him away. If you think the
two of you will land beyond the range of your attacks you can relax.
Chances are, Zangief's only attacks that can reach you are his
crouching FP and Russian Kick (see tip #7). If Rose is going to land
within piledriver range push the stick forward and jam the kick
buttons -- you have to do a long-ranged roll behind Zangief and away
from the corner. Not a lot of people take know that you can roll right
after an air-block, and consequently, fewer people know how to react
to it.
If you're in a corner with both you and Zangief on the ground (out of
throwing range), take a breather. Check out his Super Combo meter. If
it has a charge on it, don't jump or you'll eat an Aerial Russian
Slam. If it's empty, check out your range and see if you can hit his
head with a jumping FK without risking an exchange with his crouching
SP (see tip #1).
Tip #4 -- You've been cornered, at point blank range, facing an angry
Zangief because you've been doing nothing but "turtling" for the past
round or two
Check your distance. If you're within crouching JP/SK range then do
it, followed immediately with a crouching FK -> Soul Spark. Don't try
to second guess what Zangief is up to. Just try to hit his legs and
push him away. At this range I advise against jumping back (unless
Zangief also jumps). The Banishing Punch or crouching JP will get you
if try.
Tip #5 -- Watch that Banishing Punch; using the Soul Spark.
The Banishing Punch has three overlapping uses. First, it can be used
to catch your Soul Spark. Second, it's a good setup for his various
throws. Finally, it can be used to catch aerial opponents, paricularly
those air-recovering.
In order to avoid having having Zangief's green hand in Rose' face I
suggest using the Soul Spark only if he's forced to block it, such as
when used in a combo. Remember that Zangief has other ways around
projectiles, more reasons on not to use the Soul Spark
indescriminately. If you insist on using the Soul Spark at long range,
at least try varying the speed.
The Banishing Punch second use is more insidious. If Zangief tries to
do a Banishing Punch near you, whether or not it hits, expect a throw
afterwards.
If you blocked the Banishing Punch, you have two options: immediately
do a crouching JP/SK -> Soul Spark or you can jump back and stick
your foot out (as if you're trying to hit Zangief on the way up). Do
not try any slower move, such as a crouching RK, otherwise Rose will
probably end up in a Final Atomic Buster. The safest bet would be to
jump back with a kick. The jump will make Zangief miss his throw and a
fast kick will stop his anti-air moves, even the Aerial Russian Slam.
Do not jump forward unless you can _definitely_ hit Zangief on your
way up and forward.
If The Banishing Punch misses, it boils down to how fast your reflexes
are. Your options to a missed Banishing Punch are the same: do a fast
attack or jump back, only you have to be much quicker as there is no
blocking animation to give you time to think. Do _not_ try a crouching
RK. I've personally performed the Final Atomic Buster through sweeps
more times than I care to count.
If you've been knocked down (for example, right after being hit by
Zangief's crouching RK) then Zangief does a Banishing Punch over Rose'
prone body, it's a safe bet that he's trying to be sneaky. Try a
wake-up level 2/3 Aura Soul Throw if you can, or jab like crazy as you
get up.
Incidentally, you can try to stop the Banishing Punch mid-move. I
don't recommend it, but a crouching SP/FK/RK will work.
Tip #6 -- ticks; the Zangief mindset against opponents within
throwing range
Here's the gist: Zangief will, first and foremost, try to land his
powerful throws. However, because his Spinning Piledriver has a
startup, his opponents can jump over it. To deal with potential
jumpers, a good Zangief player will complement his ticks with attacks
that are useful against jumpers.
The most common tick Zangief will try is the crouching JP/SK-> Spinning
Piledriver. If, at any time, you see Zangief do a crouching JP/SK, you
have two options: a) jump or b) jab like hell.
Jumping will automatically make the Spinning Piledriver miss. Do not
jump forward. You will likely land behind Zangief and into a throw.
Jumping will work once or twice. The next time you try to jump Zangief
will do an anti-air instead of a Spinning Piledriver. Likely, a
Spinning Clothesline, an Aerial Russian Slam, or a Banishing Punch. At
this point, it becomes a guessing game. The Spinning Clothesline can
be air-blocked, but if you just air-block then the Aerial Russian Slam
can snag you. Practically any attack can stop the Aerial Russian Slam,
so always stick out a foot. The Banishing Punch, on the other hand can
snag Rose whether or not you attack. If Zangief does multiple
crouching JP it can snag Rose as she tries to jump.
Here are examples from a Zangief player's viewpoint. My standard
pattern for Zangief is Body Splash -> crouching JP/SK -> throw. My
opponents will often try to jump right after the crouching JP/SK, so I
change the pattern to Body Splash -> crouching JP x 4 or Body Splash
-> SK -> Banishing Punch or Body Splash -> SK -> <pause> -> Aerial
Russian Slam. All three alternative patterns will punish a jumper.
This brings us to the other option: jab. Remember: throws cannot
combo. You can attack Zangief as he is recovering from his SK or if
he's trying multiple crouching JPs then Rose will win the exchange.
Do it fast enough, and you can hit him as he attempts to throw.
Tip #7 -- The Zangief poking game.
If your attacks are slightly out of range, he can still reach you with
his Russian Kick, the crouching FP, or maybe even the standing FK.
These moves will take a chunk out of your Guard Meter and considering
that Rose has no dragon punch they'll likely try to poke her.
If Zangief tries to poke Rose with punches, poke back with crouching
JP/SP and laugh as Rose' tiny palm snuffs Zangief's fists. Because of
Zangief's size, a lot of players don't even try to poke at his limbs.
If he tries poking with crouching kicks do a crouching FK -> Soul
Spark. Rose' kicks will out-prioritize Zangief's kicks around three
out of four times.
Zangief's FK, however, poses some problems. The standing FK is
extremely fast, and when I'm playing Zangief I often use it to poke
fireball-happy opponents and those whom I know have slow reactions.
Rose can always try to trade hits, as her crouching FK has about the
same range and her crouching SP has higher priority.
Of course, if you have a full Super Combo meter, you can always try a
Level 3 Aura Soul Throw if Zangief tries to poke.
Tip #8 -- Dealing with the Zangief "Snuffle"
I have a tactic with Zangief that I call "Snuffle". I jump at my
opponent with a Body Splash then _immediately_ do another Body Splash.
The "Snuffle" can be very confusing, as most players find themselves
crouching and crossed-up or their Guard Meter depleted. If you ever
meet a Zangief that plays like this you have two options: knock him
out of the air with a crouching FP/Aura Soul Throw, or jump back (as
in Tip #2 and #3). Using the crouching FP is usually a bad choice
against Zangief's Body Splash, but the "Snuffle" technique requires
Zangief to do the Body Splash very early, which places him in a less-
than-optimal position. Timing is critical -- you must hit as soon as
his feet leave the ground for the second Body Splash.
Tip #9 -- V-ism Zangief
V-Zangief differs from X/V in several points. The discussion below all
assume that Zangief has a Super Combo Meter charge. Without a charge,
V-Zangief is pretty ordinary, so Tips #1 to #9 should work.
V-ism Zangief is the exception to the "throws can't combo" rule. V-ism
Zangief will jump on Rose with an aerial attack, and if you block or
are hit, he'll activate the VC, link several attacks together then do
one of his throws. Or he can VC through your attack then combo.
It's imperative that you not let yourself be placed in a situation
that you're forced to block an aerial attack from the ground. Try your
utmost to keep Zangief on the ground and away. Poke at him with
crouching FK -> Soul Spark (the Soul Spiral is a no-no). If Zangief
tries to jump over Rose' crouching FK jump back. If you air-block and
even _think_ you're going to land within your crouching FK range
immediately try to roll away (as opposed to trying to jab Zangief away
as in Tip #3).
Ironically, with a loss of a powerful ground Super, V-ism Zangief is
at his most dangerous when you're jumping on him. He has an anti-air
VC that can deal horrific damage (up to 70%) if you jump-attack him.
Try this: jump on Zangief, then just air-block. If he tries the VC ->
Clothesline -> Banishing Punch Combo Rose will air-block the
Clothesline. Land and punish him.
Zangief's anti-air VC is so powerful that some players actually
pretend to be turtlers. They'll simply block all attacks so that
they'll be pushed to a corner. Feeling confident, the opponent will
jump on Zangief -- then Zangief will pop the VC. Keep this Zangief
tactic in mind and don't go on all out offense simply because he's
playing defensive. As I've said, just poke at him.
Once Zangief's meter has run out, do not let him gain ground. He'll
try to back off a bit (especially if Rose life bar is longer) then try
to rebuild his meter with Clotheslines. Keep within range of Rose'
crouching FK and poke away.
In closing:
Stay away. Poke away.
================
Other Rose Stuff
================
*** Rose SFZ3 Storyline ***
These were taken from the American version (SF Alpha 3), so the guy with
the claw is Vega (instead of Balrog), and the guy with the cape is Bison
(instead of Vega).
Introduction text:
Rose is a mysterious woman who wields the mystic "Soul Power." She feels
that Doomsday is fast approaching. She must seal Bison's power, even at
the cost of her life. What fate awaits her in the end...?
Fifth battle (Vs. Guy), pre-fight:
Guy : You are Rose, are you not? It's not right to give up your life, even
for your mission. Risking life and surrendering it are two different
things.
Rose : My mind is made up. Is it your place to try and help me? Even if so,
your help is not anything that I need nor want.
post-fight:
Guy : "Soul Power".... Most impressive! But never underestimate his power.
He's a man of such evil energy, even my kindred fear him.
Rose : Thanks for the advice, but I must continue on my path....
Ninth battle (Vs Vega/Balrog), pre-fight:
Rose : Vega! Warrior of Shadaloo! I've finally found you! You know where
Bison is, don't you? Tell me!
Vega : I have no reason to do such.... However.... As your name implies,
you possess the beauty and thorns of a rose. So I shall adorn you in
a pure red to suit your name better.
post-fight:
Vega : Remember.... Bison looks forward to your challenge.... I don't
understand his thinking, and I probably never will.... Why would you
dare to go to him, only to be slain in the end...?
Rose : By reading your mind, I now know where Bison is.... Once divided,
two separate fates unite. This is our fate.... I don't know what
awaits us.... And neither does he....
Tenth battle (Vs Juli and Juni), pre-fight:
Bison: You arrived earlier than I had anticipated.... Sorry, but I have
another appointment.... Come back later.
Rose : Bison! You can't avoid this.... You know you can't.... Since the day
we met, fate knew it had to end in this way....
Bison: Ha ha ha ha! Don't be so melodramatic! Why don't you play with them
if it's a challenge you desire? You have nothing to lose.... Except
perhaps your life...
(Bison leaves, to be replaced by Juni and Juli).
Final battle (Vs Shin M. Bison), pre-fight:
(As Bison comes down from the sky, Rose is in her blocking animation. Bison
lands, and Rose throws him a tarot card, which Bison parries.)
Rose : Did you truly believe they could defeat me? There's no escape...for
either of us....
Bison: A rose without thorns means friendship.... Come now.... I should
never have allowed you to grow thorns....
Rose : No! That obedience is what caused all this tragedy.... The game is
over.... Let's finish this now!!
post-fight:
(Picture of Rose Soul Spiraling Bison in the chest.)
Bison: Guwaaaaaaaahh!!!
Rose : You are finished, Bison....
(Rose close-up)
Rose : It wasn't supposed to end like this.... You were my master.... Now I
must destroy you with my bare hands....
(Picture of Bison grinning)
Bison: Guh.... You impressed me.... There was no other way to end this....
But...my "soul" will not be extinguished just yet!
(Bison punches Rose in the gut. In the arcades, this picture is "cropped".
In the PSX, Bison's blow can be seen going through the back of Rose).
Rose : Haaaaaaa!! Ugaaaaaaaahhhhh!!
Bison: Just imagine your future...! Can you see it?! Can you see who truly
wields the power granted to us? It is YOU who stands victorious in
the world of eternal doom!!
Rose : ....!! ...What.... What is this...! This means...you will.... No...I
myself...will....
Bison: Right...we'll return to where we belong...as was our wish!
(Bison grinning)
Bison: Two separate lives share the same...soul....
(Picture of Bison's face burning/melting)
Bison: Guwaaaaaaaaahh!!!
(Picture of Guy carrying Rose in his arms.)
Guy : Hmm.... I was wise to come here quickly.... I felt something
unsettling.... Her wound does not seem fatal but... ...she needs to
be taken care of inmediately....
(Flash picture of Bison.)
Guy : Hmm...! Was it all in my mind...? That man is gone.... He is no
longer a threat to this world.... Then.... What could this be...?
What is this sudden chill...?
*** Rose' Outfits ***
The data presented below are based on the PSX version.
Rose has a tri-color scheme. Her hair and leggings are always a dark
purple, while the color of her suit (which always matches her shoes) and
her shawl are controlled by the button used when selecting which "-ism" to
use...
Square/Start button : dark blue shawl, grey suit
Cross button : deep blue shawl, light blue suit
Triangle button : yellow shawl, blue suit
Circle button : yellow shawl, purple suit
R1 button : white shawl, pink suit
R2 button : white shawl, purple suit
When there are two players involved (such as in a Challenge or in Dramatic
mode), if the second player chooses the same color scheme as the first
player, the second player is instead given the color scheme that closely
matches the shawl color he wanted. For example, if both the first and the
second player press the Triangle button, the first player would be given
the yellow shawl and blue suit, while the second player would be given the
yellow shawl and purple suit.
The data presented below are for the arcade version. The color scheme used
is determined by which -ism chosen and which button used to choose.
X-ism, punch button: dark blue shawl, grey suit
X-ism, kick button : deep blue shawl, light blue suit
Z-ism, punch button: yellow shawl, blue suit
Z-ism, kick button : yellow shawl, purple suit
V-ism, punch button: white shawl, pink suit
V-ism, kick button : white shawl, purple suit
If there's a Challenger (or in Dramatic battle or Survival), and the second
Rose picks the same -ism, she'll get the left over color scheme of that
-ism, regardless of what button used. For example, if the first player were
using the Z-ism punch button color scheme, then the second player (if he
chooses also to play Z-ism) automatically gets the kick button color
scheme.
*** Win Symbols ***
After winning a round, these big symbols appear under the lifebar.
"V"
- this is a white letter "V" over a red background
- you won the round (finished off your opponent) with a Regular Move
or a throw
"S"
- letter "S" over an yellow-orange background
- you won with a Special Move or Taunt
lightning "S"
- a lightning bolt in the shape of an "S" over a blue background
- you won with a Super Combo or VC
"T"
- a letter "T" over a purple background
- the time round out and you had more Life Bar than your opponent
These small symbols may appear to the right of the lightning bolt "S".
"X"
- you won with a X-ism Super Combo.
"*"
- you finished your opponent off with a Super Combo
- one "*" for every level of Super Combo (eg. two "*" for a level 2
Super Combo).
"V"
- you won with a VC
These small symbols may appear to the left of the big symbol.
"P"
- a red letter "P" meaning a perfect victory
"C"
- a yellow "C" for "Cheezy" -- you won the round round by hitting your
opponent with a move that inflicts damage even when blocked
(excluding throws).
*** Win Poses ***
Rose has 6 win poses after winning a round. You can select which pose she
will perform by holding the appropriate button before she starts posing
(otherwise, it's random). She says something for every pose, but I'm not so
sure if I'm hearing it right (and, conseqeuntly, I'm not sure if my
translation is right).
Jab Punch
- Rose closes her eyes, wags a finger, and says "Mada mada ne!"
(Japanese, trans: Not enough !)
Strong Punch
- Rose extends her arm and lets her shawl fall to the floor. A ball of
light spirals up and down the shawl. She say "Wariu ja nai !"
(Japanese, trans: Not bad !)
Fierce Punch
- Rose creates duplicate images of herself to her left and right. She
then closes her eyes and wags her finger, saying "Soreja dame !"
(Japanese, trans: It is hopeless !)
Short Kick
- Rose creates a mirror image. They stand back to back, holding hands.
Rose will open her eyes, looks you and smiles, saying "Daijobu ?"
(Japanese, trans: Are you OK ?)
Forward Kick
- A large glowing Fool card appears. When the card disappears, Rose
will be in a gypsy gown (the one she's wearing at her ending in
SFZ2). In one hand, she's holding several cards; in the other, she's
holding one card. A card is also sticking out between her breasts.
She says "Ciao !" (Italian, trans: Goodbye !). Note: if you have a
perfect victory, this will be her default pose instead of a random
one.
Roundhouse Kick
- Wind blows through Rose' hair and scarf. She's holding a card (or is
it an envelope ?) then drops it to the floor. (I can't make out what
she's says afterward).
*** Win Quotes ***
In the arcades, or in the PSX with shortcut off, Rose will have quotes
between round (provided she wins, of course). There are supposed to be
eight, but I've got only three so far.
"Every action has the potential to fill or empty one's heart."
"A life shrouded in darkness is spent searching for the light."
"If existence is a nightmare, one can only hope they are dreaming."
==========
Miscellany
==========
*** Glossary of terms ***
In order to help newcomer SFZ3 'Net surfers, I've come up with this
glossary because, personally, it took me a while before I got the hang of
the jargon being used in the 'Net.
"chain" -- I don't use this term. "Chains" can be used
synonymously with "links" and "cancel" (terms which
I prefer)
"IMHO" -- In My Humble Opinion
"mash" -- to press the buttons as fast as possible; a
"masher", on the other hand, is a player who presses
buttons without rhyme or reason
"tier" -- Ranking, or how powerful a character is in
comparison to other characters. Rose, IMHO, is
mid-tier.
"top-down move" -- Generally, while Rose is on the ground she can block
an opponent's attack by pushing the stick down-back
(called "crouch-block"). Some characters, however,
have moves that cannot be crouch-blocked, but can be
blocked by pushing the stick back (Rose is therefore
standing as she blocks). I call these moves
"top-down" moves, since this is what these moves
look like. An example of a top-down is Ryu's Sakotsu
Wari, where he takes a step forward then punches
downward.
"Shotos" -- Abbreviation for "Shotokan-type", referring to
Akuma, Ryu, Ken, and to a lesser extent, Dan,
Sakura, and Sagat. Generally, these are characters
with some form of fireball and good anti-air moves.
Shotokan is the school/style of Karate than is
_supposedly_ practiced by these characters. I
prefer to call the shotos "ARK" (for "A"kuma, "R"yu,
"K"en)
"scrub" -- Sometimes synonynous with "beginner", being called a
scrub is an insult, generally meaning "without
skill". I don't use this term.
"cheap" -- Irritating fighting techniques. The definition cheap
is subject to much debate. My advice is this --
never complain and do unto others what they do unto
you (or do it first, if you don't mind being called
cheap).
"trade hits" -- being hit while attacking
"snuffed" -- An attack that was stopped completely by another
attack. For example, the Dragon Punch will
snuff/stop a lot of attacks. Being snuffed is
associated with the priority of the attack, as well
as the timing. "Snuffing" an opponent, therefore, is
synonymous to "winning the trade".
"whiff" -- An attack that missed, on purpose or otherwise.
"turtle" -- A player who is continually on the defensive, often
jumping back and simply blocking.
*** Personal Stuff ***
If you're curious and don't mind my vanity, read on. Otherwise, skip to the
last section (copyright notices).
Hi. My name's Mondu_the_fat and I've been playing Street Fighter since SF2:
World Warrior. I play regularly locally, as well as making trips four or
five times anually to Japan (Tokyo only), Hongkong (everywhere), Vancouver,
San Fransciso, LA, and New York to test my skills against players around
the world. Do I have a life ? Yep. I'm about to graduate from Medicine at
the Pontifical University of ?!?! (heh, there's only one school that
describes itself as "pontifical") and am currently aiming for a Pediatric
Residency.
My favorite characters: Rose, Zangief, Dhalsim, Honda (it's nice to see the
last three made a recovery in SFZ3). I detest Akuma and make it my mission
to squash any Akuma player I see (which, unfortunately, I can only do in
SFZ3). My favorite fighting games are SFZ3, SFEX+alpha, and SSF2: NC. I
don't play much of the Marvel games (I only play to humor my friends). I
never touched the first two SF3 games, but I do spend money on SF3:3 in the
arcades. I play Tekken and Virtua Fighter only in the PSX and Sega and not
in the arcades. I'll play KOF as soon as a fast version comes out in the
PSX. Finally, I wouldn't touch a Midway game even if my life depended on it
(for fear of being laughed at to death).
I was an avid programmer in the 80x86 platform and tinkered around with 8-
and 16- bit machines (such as the SNES) prior to studying Med, but I
haven't fooled around with an IBM-type computer for nearly six years (we
use a typewriter in the hospital -- for heaven's sake, my own computer
still runs on DOS !). I program in C++, Turbo Pascal, and 80x86 Assembly. I
have no idea how Visual Basic works, as well as any programming language
specific to Windows. My other hobbies include MTG, In Nomine, 3D animation,
and med missions. I am currently in the process of writing three books
(whose topics have, strangely enough, nothing to do with any of my hobbies
-- I hope to get them published before internship).
Comments, questions, and criticisms (constructive or otherwise), can be
e-mailed to:
mondu.quiambao@mailcity.com
If anyone does send criticism of the type that falls under "otherwise"
please do try to be polite.
Greetings and thanks to:
- Team Irreg... We're clerks this year !
- Interns and Residents... Ok, so I was supposed to be a clerk three
years ago.
- the people of alt.games.sf2... the place to go if you love CAPCOM
fighting games (having skin thicker than shoe leather and/or a
masochistic streak required)
- SM WOF regulars... Nick, Jay, and the rest, who all play SNK games,
so will probably never read this document
- Team Extreme... now defunct, where the hell are you guys ?
- Copycat Boys... also defunct, and will laugh at me if they see this
document ("SF pa rin ?! Grow up !")
- Kailu Lantis... from whose document I got the Rose' ending from (w/o
his permission)
- Kao Megura... from whose document I got a lot of move names (also
w/o his permission)
- Greg Dawson... from whose whose from whom I got a couple of combos
from (also w/o his permission)
*** Copyright Notice ***
Nasty bit of legality that seems to be required in the 'Net:
Street Fighter and all things related to it are owned by Capcom. This
document, however, is still mine. Anyone may distribute it freely in any
form as long as the content is unedited and no profit be made. Similarities
to this text to other like it are purely unintentional (or are Public
Domain), and no infringement to ownership is challenged by me. If anyone
out there feels that I plagiarized some other work, leave me mail and I'll
give credit where credit is due.